A/N: Hello there again! Long time no see, how long has it been ever since the previous Author's Note? Did anyone miss me?

Anyways, with my large hurdle out of the way, I am up and ready with the new chapter! Hopefully my skills aren't so rusty for this anymore..

This one is a little short, because I'm currently trying to process out how to fit in words with the story.

Thank you to the people who were understanding and willing to wait!

Also at the moment, I'm looking for a beta reader for this story. Being new to this thing, if you're interested in helping me please let me know!

Master Sword & Servant Sheath

Shirou Emiya has went through many things in life.

He survived what he could have called hell, the Fuyuki Fire that claimed the lives of many and devastated the entire area in its wake.

He was tossed and dragged into the Fifth Holy Grail War, a battle of the death between mages.

However, with all the bad comes the good. He met the love of his life, his partner. Arturia Pendragon, the King of Knights who wields the Sword of Promised Victory, Excalibur.

But really, Fate can be really either cruel or kind. Their roles had reversed and now it was his turn to fight for her. For all she done for him, it was something he had to do to pay back in kind. Did anything change? Gilgamesh was possibly still out there.

The slithering of chains cut him off from his stupor. Saber softly stopped in his tracks, putting down Artoria on the ground. The trees rustled around them, the leaves slowly blown off into the wind.

A silent message of a warning passed to the Servant in front of them. Nothing was said.

It was the first move made by the enemy that Saber's feet launched off the ground in a burst of speed, making the earth crack and fly.

SHING!

Knowing his katana would not do here, he drew both of his blades. Slamming metal against metal, it caused a shrill noise between the two fighting for might. The enemy Servant was forced back, before she jumped on a tree and prepared to strike with her nails in hand. The chains flying along with it's wielder. She shifted before disappearing from sight.

She charged once more, this time behind the Saber Servant, hoping to land a strike or hit.

Saber swiftly turned, pivoting on his feet before clashing with the nails. With a small grunt, he shoved the nails off the Servant's hands and the chains flew. Going for a counterattack, he threw his blades towards the weaponless Servant. The married blades flew with grace and went for the Servant's side.

The blades sailed in the air and hit their mark, a streak of red following in their trail. The enemy was left with her sides lightly bleeding.

The injury was not severe. Not the heart, not the head. Why?

He himself knew the reason.

As soon as the Servant Rider glanced up a few milliseconds before dematerializing, he knew. The Master was found and needed help. In an instant, he grabbed Artoria and darted off back to the school. Before she could even question his reasons, he answered the girl's questions that were in her mind.

"Rider has escaped, this means they have found her Master."

His Master silently closed her mouth and nodded upon hearing what he had just said.

This saves us some trouble. He thought, and yet..

Why did he have such a bad feeling?

Rin Tohsaka is having an amazing day today.

First, having no choice as Artoria would not stop convincing her, they decide to go and talk to Sakura.

And then, halfway along they get attacked by a Servant, which her little golden haired friend's Servant go and chase after. Leaving them to take an injured student to the nurse office. At her insistence, Lancer was to not be seen as she could be noticed by someone passing by, which could cause trouble.

Not knowing when, a certain blue haired idiot shows up, not only that. He held Sakura against him, with a knife at her throat. Just looking at that, with his face makes her want to punch and rip him apart, but the very last line of defense- her dignity, holds her back. With a twitching eyebrow, she questions the boy.

"So, Shinji. What brings you here in front of me to block my way to the nurse's office? That threat you have against me won't work."

The next answer though, however, she didn't expect from such an ass.

"You are a Master in this school right, Tohsaka? Care joining me for the grail?"

Now this.. This ticked her off. That was all he wanted to say? She has a student to bring to the nurse's office and this head of seaweed thinks an alliance is more important than a person's life? Including involving Sakura for this?

Okay, that was the end of the straw.

"Lancer, deal with him. I need to get to my destination as soon as possible." Her Servant appears by her side, her horse not present, raises her lance and thrusts it towards the side of the direction Shinji was standing at.

A sign of warning, as both Master and Servant knew: Don't hurt anyone, make sure Sakura is safe.

While Rin runs towards the direction of the nurse's office, Lancer makes her way towards Shinji, even though she did not use her weapon, her status as a Servant was already intimidating to the boy. Even the knife held at the purple haired girl's throat was already shaking.

Little effort was used, while Shinji was in his stupor, Lancer had already threw the knife away from his hands and took Sakura away from him. With the girl safely in her arms even though she was stunned in amazement, the armored Servant stared at the cowering boy in front of her.

The inhumane green orbs peering out from the proud lion helmet at him only silently spoke a cold, single word, which would give to many others.

Pathetic.

Not any sympathy was needed, for this boy even had the thought of stooping so low to use any means he could to get her Master's attention. She turned around and slowly walked away from him.

Shinji's face turned into a expression of rage and anger. What was left of his pride and dignity was crushed by a simple move just because he was too afraid. In an attempt to save face, he raised his arms and a book opened, an eerie purple glow and its pages flipped.

"Rider, come to me now!"

In a bright flash, Rider appeared- but instead of going towards Lancer, the Servant charged towards her Master, Rin. Before Lancer could even move herself, the windows cracked and shattered.

This was when many things happened at once.

Saber and his Master flew in from the windows and the Servant himself crashed into the Rider Servant and a fight between the two started.

His Master, Artoria gracefully landed on the floor of the school and looked at Rin. "Quick, go! We'll take care of Rider and her Master!"

"There is no need for that." Lancer spoke, her metallic voice echoing throughout the hallway. She stood there with Sakura in her arms as she narrowed her eyes at Shinji, not noticing the girl she was carrying had widened her own eyes.

I would have already ended his life where he stands. Lancer kept the last part to herself as there was no need to say it. Her killing intent lowered so it would not frighten the poor girl in her arms too much.

She slowly puts Sakura down, silently giving the boy in front of her a searing stare. Artoria takes it a good moment to run over to her good friend.

"Sakura! Are you okay? Did anything happen to you?"

Lancer would have scoffed, but instead replied. "That boy threatened my Master for an alliance with a knife at this girl's throat." There was no need for comments, because she knew the boy would have suffered either way. By her own hand, or someone else's.

Artoria did not realize herself what she was doing, as her body moved on her own. Her emerald eyes blazed with fury and her own limbs moved.

First being the fist that meets the seaweed head's face. Second being the other hand grabbing the collar of his shirt. Third being her own words that spoke out:

"What do you think you are doing?"

The words sounded so chilling even to herself. She swore she saw the boy she was holding, even though she was shorter, was shivering under her gaze. It was probably because she never showed much emotion to anyone else before, other than the two friends of hers.

Shinji for the first time ever, has went face to face with the anger and rage of the Invincible Lioness of Homurahara Academy. Artoria lets go of the boy she was effectively holding up against the wall.

"Try and do anything to my friends, and I will end your life where you stand. Understand, knave?"

While he himself felt insulted at what she had called him, he dare not to balk or talk back. Knowing that he had lost the battle already, he nodded and slumped back down in defeat against the wall.

Artoria walks towards Sakura, who was at her feet in shock. She knelt down and softly asked her, "Are you alright?"

"Senpai.." The purple haired girl herself slowly nodded, before standing up.

The blonde girl narrowed her eyes before she spoke with a stern tone. "You won't be living with this.. Him anymore. You can stay over at my house." She paused for a while, before smiling. "Saber cooks good food."

She looked to see the Servant himself standing by the side with Rin. "Rider has been dealt with, I guess we can go back for Dinner now?"

Artoria, surprisingly with her demeanour changed, doing a slight informal shrug, she turned back and made her way downstairs. "Hunger is the enemy."

No sooner when they reached home with the bowls of food served on the table. Artoria could not wait to eat.

"Thank you for the meal." She clasped her hands together before she ate her food with her chopsticks.

Before anyone could even finish their first, the girl had already gone for her third. With such dignity of hers, no one would ever find out how she is able to pull such a feat of eating such a large amount.

Being in a good mood herself, as she was glad Nilrem was not going to steal her portions again. It was not long before she felt satisfied, she puts down her bowl and chopsticks. She turned to the window that showed the bright moon in the dark sky.

The day passed by quickly, as it became night before anyone knew or realized it. All the energy was taken out of her, yet she knew it wasn't because of the mana. It was truly exhaustion from the day.

She wishes the other people at the table a good night before she went upstairs.

"So, what brings you here under the stars?" Nilrem asked the Saber Servant as he sat down beside him. Everyone else had gone to sleep or went home, leaving the two of them to look at the moon.

"Sa- My Master had unleashed a destructive light not long ago with her sword. Are you aware of this?" Saber wanted to find out himself, from Artoria's own guardian.

The silver haired man, however upon hearing this, he gave a small smile as he looked at the bright moon. "I see. Artoria has figured out how to use that sword of hers now, I'm glad."

The man himself looking at the Servant's confused face before chuckling. He decides to explain, yet..

"I'm afraid when the battle to save the world and humanity itself comes, I may not be able to be there for her in her time of need. Where I can't help, it, however, can."

Nilrem stands up on his feet before making his way back into the hallway, but not before he stopped and added one last comment.

"A duty to protect a loved one.. Isn't that right, Shirou Emiya?"

With that, he disappeared into the hallways of the Emiya Residence, leaving the Saber Servant to think about what he had said.

A/N: And again, hello fellow reader! With myself repeating again, this one is a little short as I'm currently trying to process out how to fit in words with the story.

Therefore, I really would appreciate it if a beta reader is willing to assist me for this story! Still currently looking for one. Let me know if you're interested!

I'll be not updating as often, being lazy and like to take breaks as I have many things to do, aren't important, but still games.

If you have anything else in mind or something you feel that you should point out, you can let me know in the reviews.

With this, I will see you in the next chapter! Have a good day.