...
"Hahaha... Well now! That was quite the story, dear friends."
Caster clapped a few times at the end of Wakata's explanation. On the table rested three empty teacups, and two full ones, along with a plate dusted only with a few crumbs, the remains of biscuits. The strange, but kind old man had a smile on his face as if he was simply that happy about hearing a simple story. After a moment of this, though, his expression became more serious, as Caster glanced at Chiho, then looked back at Wakata.
"...Hm. You said your sister is injured, yes? I'm not very good at healing, mind you, but I suppose you kids deserve something for that wonderful story... Set her on the couch. I shall attend to her there, while you all should get some rest. Is that alright with you, then?"
There was a moment of hesitation as Wakata weighed the options. Certainly, resting did sound nice, and it was getting dark outside... But, he couldn't simply leave Chiho by herself with a stranger-
"...I'll stay with my Master. You two take the room."
With those words spoken by Lancer, the debate was over. Lancer would watch over Chiho as Caster was healing her, and Saber and Wakata would rest. All in all, the arrangement worked for everyone.
Still smiling, Caster stood up, and motioned Lancer and Chiho into the study.
Lancer stood first and stood by his master, awaiting her order with an indifferent expression. The order would not come yet, though, as Chiho glanced back and forth between Wakata and Caster, either embarrassed or just out of pure modesty.
"H-hey, you don't have to worry about me... I'm... fine, alright? I wouldn't want to- to make you worry..."
Wakata sighed while Saber let out a chuckle. He was about to speak up when he was cut off by Lancer, who spoke with an annoyed tone.
"Enough. You are my Master, hence if you are weakened, I am weakened. I cannot fight to my full potential while you are injured. -Your stubbornness will only endanger me, as well as your brother, in a dangerous situation. There will be no more debate on the matter."
For a moment, there was silence. Chiho looked surprised and hurt, Wakata was stunned -the facts were obvious, yes, but to state them so bluntly...-, and Saber only chuckled once more, as Wakata spoke almost scoldingly.
"...Lancer, you don't have to-"
"-It's fine. What he said... is true, so... Alright. Um... Caster, was it-? ...I'll let you treat me."
Before he could say what he wanted to, Chiho interrupted him, speaking in a quiet and soft voice. She glanced up at Caster, who was still smiling, though now his expression held a bit more worry.
"Well, alright. You two wait in the study, I'll be right with you- first, I believe I should show your brother where he will be staying."
Still somewhat put off by Lancer's bluntness, Wakata followed Caster down a hallway without another word. He brushed off Caster's attempts at conversation, silently closing the door as soon as the friendly old man left.
Saber materialized soon after the door was closed, having been in Spirit Form all through the walk.
"...He won't hurt her, you know. I can tell- that old man really was trying to be friendly with you, Master. ...I believe you hurt the poor man's feelings."
Saber spoke with a smile, though his words weren't any less serious from it. He leaned against the wall, the metal armor clinking as he did so. Even with a smile, even with messy hair falling over his eyes, something about the way Saber spoke stuck with Wakata. There was wisdom in Saber's words, but the boy was in no mood to abide by it.
"...Enough, Saber. I'm not- I'm not trying to be rude, or... ungrateful to him, I'm just..."
"-You're afraid, Master."
Those three words, spoken so softly, seemed foreign to Wakata's ears. Saber had a strange expression, too- What was it, about all of it, that invoked such emotion in the young Prince-?
As tears slowly wetted Wakata's face, all he could do was nod. Saber saw this, and kneeled down to match the boy's sitting height. Placing one hand on his own chest, and the other on Wakata's hand, Saber smiled and spoke quietly once more.
"...It's alright to be afraid, Master. There's no issue in it, for it to be such a crucial emotion- of course you're meant to feel it. Whether you fear death, or pain, or loss... perhaps something small, like spiders, or something much larger, like losing family... those feelings are part of who you are, my Master. Yes, perhaps it makes it harder for you, or for me... I wouldn't have it any other way, for how could you face your fears, and become stronger, if you have none at all-?
...As a King myself, I can tell you with certainty- it doesn't go away. With age, or perhaps with experience, you can suppress it, but that is no remedy. Having these fears... it is an unavoidable truth. Even I have fears, sometimes of things I can't control. -I have fears, even as a supposedly 'fearless' King and Knight... I can only imagine how afraid you must be, Master, to have the only member of your family left be in such danger, all while you are still far too young for all this..."
The tears began to pour faster as Saber kept speaking. Being forced to recognize his feelings like this, Wakata could only now acknowledge it- he was scared. Scared as though he was a child once more. -But, there it was. Is he not a child now? Physically, perhaps, though he has grown considerably... Yet no child should have gone through what he did. No child would remain one very long having witnessed what he has. In spite of all that, though- the young Prince cried like a kid once more.
"Do not try to speak now, Master- you have no need to explain anything. There's no need to hear your story, nor is there a need for you to justify these tears. In fact, these tears are justification enough- For you to cry upon such a simple statement- is it not, then, something you desperately longed for, yet unconsciously-? ...Whenever you feel the need to, whatever you feel the need to do- please do so."
Saber's comforting words rang out through Wakata's mind, echoing around in his head. He continued crying in the comfortable silence, with Saber's reassuring grasp on his hand.
After some time, perhaps a few minutes, perhaps an hour, the young Prince finally fell silent.
It was another period of time before he spoke, in a shaky, soft voice.
Saber kneeled there patiently, as his Master told him what exactly happened to injure Chiho so terribly, and to make him so afraid.
...
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