chapter 25

The Heroic Spirit Artoria was not the same as she once was. She had been corrupted by the black mud of the Grail. At the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War her Master Kiritsugu Emiya was slain near the end but she survived corrupted and incarnated through the power of the Grail. Upon walking around and surveying the sheer destruction caused by the fire to the surrounding area she saw many dead bodies. Some were children, others adults, all of them dead. She was struck by her newfound apathy, apparently having been brought on by her corruption. That was when she saw a young boy with his hand reaching for the sky. A last desperate plea for help. She walked over to the boy, noting that he would likely die soon anyway, if not from the wounds then from the smoke inhalation. For some strange reason though, even in her apathetic state, she felt a twinge of pity for the boy. She held in her the ability to save the child. Before his death Kiritsugu had returned Avalon to her. Its healing abilities could likely save the boy. She spoke to the boy, offering salvation at a price.

"Boy, I can save you. I can grant you a new life, but on one condition. You will be subservient to me, you will wait upon my every whim. I shall be your Mistress and you my slave. Do you agree to this?" The woman had become more domineering after her taint as the aura around her screamed obedience. The boy on the ground saw this, unable to even speak, simply nodded in response. Upon his agreement the corrupted king brought to her hands a golden and blue sheath. It shone with an incomparable brilliance and beauty that could not be rivaled. It sank into the boy, becoming one with him, and he lost consciousness, it took effect and his wounds began to close. With that done the woman picked up the boy and walked away from the wretched scene of carnage and death.

~10 years later~

In the ten years he was rescued by Saber Shirou had learned to live a life of subservience. Whenever she was hungry he would cook for her. He would do her laundry. Whenever she felt the need for a foot massage he would diligently serve his Mistress. Saber had come to love the boy's foot massages, so much so that she would demand them once a day, sometimes twice. Over time the boy had learned a deep appreciation for feet. Whenever he would massage her feet he would marvel at their illustrious shape. He learned to appreciate the graceful arch of her feet. He came to adore her long, dainty toes. He even appreciated the smell of her feet. On long, hot days he would enjoy the smell of her sweaty feet, and after a bath he would enjoy her foot's natural aroma mixed with the smell of body wash. On the occasions where she went barefoot instead of her usual thigh high stockings he would revel at the softness of her smooth skin. Coincidentally the boy's eighteenth birthday was today. Normally she never gave him anything for the occasion, however tonight she had told him to come to her room for a gift. So he went to her door, knocked on it, and was given permission to enter. She was sitting on her king sized bed with her legs crossed, wearing nothing but her bra, panties, and thigh high stockings. Each article of clothing was black and lacy. Her western styled bed served as a contrast to the tatami mats on the floor beneath it. Shirou was not taken aback by her scantily clad form, after all he had given her massages in nothing but a towel so this was not particularly notable. His gaze wandered downward towards her stocking clad feet. They were beautiful, even more so than usual as he had recently given her a pedicure, another task he enjoyed immensely. Then his Mistress spoke.