Author's Note: Heya folks! I thought I could try my hand at a Fate fanfic to alternate with between my Sword Art Online stories. I have recently gotten into the series and I. Am. Hooked. The Fate-In Time fanfic by Parcasious is one of my all-time favourite pieces of writing and I really liked the idea of giving Shirou that opportunity. While this story revolves around that same idea, I am taking it in a vastly different direction. I have some interesting ideas planned out for the later chapters, and I hope the readers will agree with that :) Please do let me know what you think by means of private messages, reviews and such. All my fanfics are essentially writing challenges I set for myself in an attempt to get better at the art.

The story starts with a short Prologue, briefly glancing over Shirou's life after the fifth Holy Grail War of Fuyuki, before it begins in earnest. I hope you enjoy!

Prologue:

The fifth Holy Grail War changed his life. Shirou Emiya, still a teenager at that point, had little experience as a magus. Yet he had had a dream. The desire to become a hero of justice. Some, like the girl who had become his best friend after the war, Rin Tohsaka, called him distorted. And in truth he knew that was true. He had no sense of self. All he wanted was to prevent people from crying. For the people he cared about to be happy. To save everyone. While everyone had always told him that was admirable, they also told him it was impossible, delusional. Yet he didn't care.

The War changed things. Fighting his future self, Archer, a Counter Guardian who regretted every choice he had made in his life. Every choice following along that ideal of wanting to save everyone. A broken remnant of a man who's only wish was to kill his former self in an attempt to be freed from his eternal nightmare of endless slaughter in the service of Alaya. A being that is not truly a being. It is best described as the collective, unconscious will of humanity to survive. Whenever humanity's survival is threatened to a large enough degree, one or more Counter Guardians are dispatched by Alaya to fight back any threat. These guardians being the spirits of powerful individuals throughout time, contracted to guard Humanity's survival.

Shirou Emiya chose not to give up on his ideals. He proclaimed he would have no regrets. Striving to save and help everyone was a noble pursuit, and he would not wish for any other purpose. He fundamentally denied Archer's regrets, his existence. And yet... As the years turned to decades, and those he held dear withered away, he was left alone. Ever traveling the earth, finding places where his help was needed. Where he could save the most lives. He thought he would be different than Archer. Because there was something more that strengthened his determination. The memory of Saber. The 'Servant' he had unwittingly summoned at the start of the fifth Holy Grail War. Remembered in legend as King Arthur. That woman... Arturia Pendragon, had changed him.

He had never had a sense of self. A reason to stay alive. If only he could help someone, he was satisfied. What happened to him never mattered. And she was much the same. She gave up her chance at happiness, she gave up her own heart to be the King that her people needed. She denied her gender, her self to do that. Ever hiding and suppressing her own emotions and needs for the good of all others. Defeating any and all who opposed the peace she sought with a resolve that put the strongest to shame. But all things come to an end. In the battle of Camlann, she and her Knights perished. A final battle culminating in mutual, mortal blows between Arturia and her magically cloned 'daughter' in disguise, Mordred.

Filled with nothing but regret and sorrow upon seeing the lifeless bodies of her once loyal Knights, her friends, and the ruin of her country, she wished for a chance to obtain the Holy Grail and replace herself by a worthier King. One who would not lead her beloved Britannia to ruin like she had. Shirou and Arturia had connected during those two weeks where she had been summoned as his Servant in the War. They had fallen in love. Two individuals who shared a similar, impossible dream. But it was not meant to last. At the end they were separated by time. For decades, her memory, her resolve, her determination was enough for him. It was enough to fuel his drive, his goals, his dreams. Whenever he closed his eyes he could see her gold speckled hair, gently flowing in that breeze as she sat on that green hill. Those green eyes, shimmering like emerald, and that gentle smile only meant for him.

Those last words she said to him, before she faded away. 'I love you, Shirou'. So simple. And yet so powerful. They had known it wasn't meant to last, but they both took solace knowing that they had had a chance to be happy, to find someone who understood them and who loved them with all their being, no matter how short that time had been. He knew right then and there, that his road would be long and difficult, much like Archer's had been. But his would be different. For whenever he focused on his own world, his Reality Marble, it was different as well. Archer's had been a barren wasteland, with dead grass swaying among countless, numerous swords sticking out of the ground. A thick scent of coal and iron, dense, grey clouds and large mechanical gears hanging from the sky.

Shirou Emiya's had never become that twisted ideal. Ever since he had spent those last few minutes with Sab- no, Arturia, his Reality Marble began to set more and more. It had been largely unformed and fuzzy at the end of the war. But in the years that followed, as he got a stronger grasp on who he was and how his powers worked, the sky was not covered by dense clouds, but clear and bathed in the colours of a beautiful sunset. The setting sun beautifully illuminated the vibrant, green grass that covered almost every part of his world. Still, it was filled with swords and other weaponry, as far as the eye could see. But it was not the broken remnant of an ideal, the graveyard of regrets that he had seen in Archer's Reality Marble. It was a place to remember those that had fallen. And in the center of his world, there stood a hill. A green hill with a small tree. It was the same hill where many years prior he had said his goodbyes to her, to Arturia.

While there was a sword planted every meter or so as far as the eye could see, the slopes of that small hill were empty. Atop it was where he always appeared whenever he visited his world in his mind. And always right there, in front of him, there was one sword. Caliburn, the Sword of Choosing that started her Kingship. He had always regretted not being able to reproduce Excalibur, the weapon she wielded when he met her, but in a way it was better that way. That sword belonged to her and her alone. It was the physical manifestation of her ideals, her soul. Such a thing should not be trapped in a Reality Marble. Caliburn was more than sufficient as a memorial. In front of it lay a scabbard, perhaps even more important to him and her memory than the sword itself. Ornately decorated with royal blue and gold. Avalon. They were both hers. The only pieces of true importance in the world that was essentially Shirou Emiya's self.

Despite knowing he would never see her again, he had never stopped looking. For decades he had sought out that beautiful, gentle smile, those emerald eyes and that gold speckled hair. No matter how many he saved, how many he killed... She was always there at the end of the day, at the forefront of his mind. Reminding him to keep striving for his ideals. Inspiring him with her own strength.

When the day finally came that he could fight no longer, that he collapsed, he found himself with but one regret. He had known he was dying, and he had torn himself away from his last battlefield, another struggle overcome, to return to where he had taken shape. That hill in Fuyuki. Leaning against that tree, now older and sturdier, he let out a deep sigh. He tried materializing Avalon. Hoping to hold it as he drifted off to wherever he would go next. He could only chuckle wryly when he realized he no longer had the strength to do so. Muttering to himself as he watched the setting sun, there was no one around to hear him say "...If only... I could have saved her too, like she saved me...". Or so he thought, as he softly chuckled while his vision faded to black and his remaining strength left his body.

But someone had heard him. Ripples formed on an unmoving lake, somewhere else entirely. An otherworldly beautiful and graceful woman's voice rung out through the water "Perhaps... We should give him the chance... What do you think, sister? Is he worthy?". Slowly, another voice, this time in the winds that rippled the water, gracefully hummed before replying "He fought his entire life, struggling to reach what he knew he could never achieve. Yet never faltering, never stopping until he could go no longer... Perhaps... He might be. Why don't why find out?".

Chapter 1:

That's strange... He was sure he died. Right? Everything was still dark, but he suddenly felt a breeze, something he couldn't feel only a moment or so ago. He also didn't feel the rough bark of the tree he had been leaning against any more. If anything, it felt as if he was standing up. He could hear the sound of rustling leaves and chirping of birds overhead. Carefully, he opened his eyes and blinked a few times. What the...

He was standing in a forest clearing. It didn't resemble the woods on the mountain near Fuyuki at all. How did he get here? He looked around and took a few steps, then noticed something was off. Why were his steps so... small... He looked at his feet, not understanding what he saw. Then at his hands. Before incredulously holding his face and patting his body. "I... I'm a child?" he nervously asked to no one in particular. He was wearing black leather trousers and a vest, boots and what looked like a nobleman's surcoat. Red with golden trimmings, and a crest made of a horizontal bow, with a sword strung like an arrow. Embroidered with the same gold as the trimmings around the edges. Fine quality too. But it seemed... medieval? Topping off his ensemble, was a thick, black cloak with a hood.

"Physically, yes, you are a child again, but your Magic Circuits are as open and trained as you are used to" a soothing voice teasingly spoke up from behind him. As he jumped up, startled, he immediately materialized Bakuya and Kanshou, his white and black, yin and yang blades that he had once seen Archer project in the Holy Grail War oh so many years ago. They had proven to be his most used weapons by far, and they had quickly become the quickest to project in a pinch. Spinning around with his newly projected blades in hand he landed in a combat pose. Only to look up in the face of an otherworldly beautiful woman. For some reason, he couldn't accurately say what colour her hair or eyes were, only that her skin was fair. It was as if they were just... beautiful. Too beautiful to comprehend. The power oozing out of her was immense and unlike anything he had ever seen or felt before. He had hunted all sorts of dangerous magi and creatures. Even a number of deranged Dead Apostle Ancestors and Divine Beasts.

She felt nothing like that, however. The Od, magical essence of the body, that she radiated was soothing. Calming. Peaceful. But immensely powerful nonetheless. As she gave him a calm smile, he carefully lowered his dual blades and wearily asked "Who are you? And what have you done to me?".

The woman just giggled for a moment, before she slightly tilted her head and said "You wished to save her, I wanted to know why". It took him a few seconds before he understood what she meant. He had thought he was dying, and all that had been on his mind was the image of Arturia, dying alone on a battlefield surrounded by the bodies of her fallen comrades. His only true regret; not being able to save the one woman he could say he loved.

The woman in front of him just calmly waited for his reply, so eventually he cleared his throat and said "Because she doesn't deserve her cruel fate. Her entire life she sacrificed everything for her ideals... Her identity. Her happiness. Her heart". He carefully watched the woman's expression, which stayed the same, so he continued "If only the Grail had been untainted... Then I would have wished for her happiness".

After his reply, the woman seemed to hum in thought, before giving him a curious smile. "Do you love her?". He didn't need to think about his answer. He had known for a long time. "Yes". The woman tilted her head again and bit on the corner of her lip, as if she was weighing his words for truth. "Even after all this time, without ever seeing her again?".

Once again, without hesitating, he nodded and confidently said with a soft smile "I saw her every night... Perhaps it wasn't real, but it was real enough. I could wait for years. No, I have waited for years. Decades even. And it could be eons for all I care. Someday, I'll find her again, no matter what you're planning on doing to me... or wherever we are".

The woman looked at him for a few seconds, her expression not changing, but then she sighed. "It seems my sister may be right about you... Well then, Shirou Emiya, I hope you don't squander this opportunity".

He was about to open his mouth and ask what the hell was going on here, but then he heard growling coming from behind him, as well as pained grunt. He quickly turned around, but saw nothing in the immediate area. When he turned back to the woman, she was gone. He looked around confused, but saw nothing, then heard a scream coming from the same direction as the previous sounds. Cursing, he decided to head there.

The woman was gone anyway, and if he could help it, he would never let someone die on his watch! He instinctively reinforced his legs and body, shooting through the bushes and undergrowth of the forest as he dispelled his dual swords and projected his favourite, pitch black bow. As he got closer and closer, he started to pick up a familiar signature of magical essence. A power that is all too familiar to him, with traces of the might of a Dragon...

Arturia was cursing herself for her stupidity. Why did she have to wander so far into the forest? Sir Ector always told her to stay near the edges, just in case she got lost. And of course, she got lost looking for berries... She just kept seeing a small number of them in bushes further and further into the woods. Enjoying the sweet taste of them, she carelessly wandered deeper and deeper into the woods, until she wasn't sure anymore which way she came from.

Stumbling through some bushes, she suddenly felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. As she slowly turned around, she saw a large, menacing brown bear... And it was hungrily eyeing her... Alright... No sudden movements, just slowly.. back away. As she nervously held her hand on her sheathed, wooden training sword, she carefully started taking steps backwards, not breaking eye contact with the large bear. What was it even doing here!? There barely were any bears here! Father and Kay often went hunting, although she was considered too young to do that yet, but they hadn't encountered any bears for years now. And of course, she had to run into one...

Things seemed to be going well, until she tripped over a tree root. As she fell and scrambled to get back up, the bear let out a growl and hungrily started barreling towards her, before clawing her across her arm. Letting out a pained grunt while slipping and sliding she got up to her feet and started running away from the monster chasing her. She was only ten! What could she do against such a beast!? Panting heavily, she could only glance back every now and then, hoping to have left it behind, but it just slammed straight through bushes and small trees, running after its prey. Running after her. She involuntarily let out a scream when some sharp branches smacked against her wound, while tears started to roll across her cheeks.

She ended up in a small clearing, and the 'road' ahead was blocked off by a small cliff face. She quickly tried to climb it, but it was no use, she slid back down. Frantically she started looking for a way around it, but before she could, the bear barreled through the bushes at the edge of the small clearing and came her way, having found its prey again. She steeled herself... She was a Squire, a Knight in Training! Shaking, she pulled out her wooden training sword and readied herself in the stance she had been trained it. At least she'd go out fighting!

It came closer and closer.. Five meters away, four meters... Three meters... Thunk! Something shiny, something made of metal came from above her, atop the small cliff and planted itself deep inside the head of the approaching bear. It collapsed to the ground and slid closer towards her, stopping only a meter away. It wasn't moving. Calming her heavily beating heart that felt as if it was about to explode, she watched the beast with wide eyes. It really was dead... And... And... What in the name... There seemed to be a sword, stuck in its forehead. Did... Did someone throw a sword straight into the bear's head?

Still holding up her wooden training sword, she wasn't sure what just happened. Suddenly, a worried voice came from above her, causing her to jump. "Hey there, are you alright?". As she looked up, she saw... a boy? He couldn't be much older than her, maybe eleven years old? He was a tad taller than her, which wasn't too weird considering she had always been shorter than most her age. But still, he looked... strange. Red hair and almost golden eyes. Was he Scottish maybe? Or Irish? What was he doing here... In his right hand he held a large, black bow. Almost too large to be useful. But then... Did he fire a sword with that bow? Ridiculous!

As soon as she looked up and into his eyes, his eyes seemed to go from worry, to shock, as they both just stared at each other. "I... I'm alright, thank you...". She carefully replied, her voice a few octaves higher than she had intended. Clearing her throat, she quickly added "B-but I could have handled that myself if you had let me!". The boy blinked a few times, still in shock, or maybe confusion, but then he sighed and chuckled.

"It looked like you were in trouble, though" he said with a soft laugh and a small smile. She pouted as she felt her cheeks redden. "Mind if I come down?" he asked her as he tilted his head a little. While she was stuttering a little, not really sure what to do now, he jumped off of the cliff, across the bear, landing in the clearing a few meters away from her. A little startled at how far the boy jumped, she steeled herself and held up her training sword a bit more steadily.

Warily she asked him "Who... Who are you?". He gave her a warm smile and a short bow, before he said "Shirou Emiya, at your service". Seeing how she was still a little taken aback, the boy tilted his head again and while gesturing towards her raised sword asked teasingly "Are you going to fight me?".

She frowned a little as she thought about what to do. Was he an enemy? Should she fight him? He had just saved her life... And he had a last name, so he must be a noble's son, right? Still, he looked strange. His eyes were narrower than most, his skin was a shade or two darker and his hair and eye colour were definitely not like common around Bala, the domain of her adoptive father, Lord Ector... Warily, she slowly lowered her sword and sheathed it at her side. "No... As long as you don't try anything. I'm a Squire, s-so I will defend myself and these lands if you give me a reason to!".

Shirou wasn't sure what was happening. A mysterious, powerful woman somehow seemed to have turned him into a child, given him different clothing and dropped him off, alone, in a forest somewhere. After she disappeared, he found a little girl, trapped, hunted by a bear. A large bear. After instinctively killing it with a simple sword arrow, he looked down and froze. As she gazed up at him, a little bewildered and scared, he immediately recognized her. Those gold-speckled locks held back in a bun, those emerald green eyes... It was her, Arturia... But, not really. Not yet, at least. She was wearing leather trousers, a vest and a cloth undershirt, as well as sturdy boots. With her hair tied in a knot, she could pass as a boy. Not to him, though. She couldn't be much older than ten? How old was he supposed to be anyway?

He couldn't help but chuckle at how defiant she was, even though she was clearly scared out of her mind. After jumping down he thought about how to de-escalate the situation for a moment. He didn't even really care anymore why or how he was here. All that mattered was that she was here. He had found her! A little early maybe, but time would solve that. Now he just had to make sure not to frighten her or do anything stupid. He let out a sigh as he involuntarily chuckled and rubbed his neck with his free hand. "I'll make sure not to give you a reason then".

She seemed to calm down, a little, so he let out another, happier sigh. Now what... He looked around the clearing for a moment, and eventually settled on the bear he had just killed. Then he felt his stomach rumble a little. When had he last eaten...? Come to think of it, had this body ever eaten before? He was hungry... And he had a huge pile of meat, waiting for him. A smile crept over his face as he turned back to the young Arturia and asked "Say, are you hungry?".

Arturia still wasn't sure what to expect, but when he asked if she was hungry, she couldn't help but feel her stomach grumble a little. She hadn't really had breakfast yet, as she went out at first light, hoping to find a large number of berries and such before heading back for lunch. It was her off-day, so she had all the time in the world before needing to resume her Squire duties at her father's estate. After seeing her agree, he asked her to find some 'herbs'. Not really sure what he meant, she asked for clarification, after which he seemed to ponder for a while, before describing a few types of common plants that grew in the forest. She didn't recognize all the names he used for them, but some of the visual descriptions seemed familiar.

He wouldn't tell her yet what they were for 'you'll see, trust me' he had just laughed. Well... He did just save her life, and he looked nice. He was smiling and his eyes, although odd-coloured, didn't look like he was going to hurt her. With a sigh and a wary look, she went back into the forest to find the plants he had requested, but making sure not to stray too far from the clearing, just in case. It took her a little longer than she had hoped, but eventually she had found some of the plants he had asked for. That would just have to be enough.

When she got back to the clearing, she was a little surprised. The bear was already skinned and lying on a large tarp. The sword that had been stuck in its forehead, was gone, nowhere to be seen and neither was Shirou. A little warily she slowly walked up to the tarp, looking around. "Ah you're back! Sorry if I kept you waiting".

A little startled again, she almost jumped up, but managed to just somewhat calmly turn around. The boy had come back with a small pile of firewood under his arms, which he plopped down not too far away before he started to prepare a camp fire. "N-no it's alright, S-shirou! I only just came back myself".

He just gave her a smile and nodded. "Do you happen to have anything with you to start a fire?" he asked after checking his pockets. She shook her head, after which he frowned and seemed to mull things over. Then he shrugged and chuckled. "Alright then, no other way... Want to see something exciting?".

Shirou wasn't sure if magic would frighten her, but then he realized the magus Merlin played a pretty big part in her legend... So... Why not? He had never truly become a proper mage, due to his Origin and Affinity both being 'Sword' he was highly specialized and quite frankly, below average at most basic forms of magic. Still, he had spent decades wandering the world, alone. He had picked up a thing or two, never mind Rin's excessively aggressive tutoring. He couldn't help but smile as he thought back to Rin... They had fallen out of touch the last few years. The last decade really. He hoped she was doing well... Probably. Not many people could get in her way after all...

He focused a small amount of Od (Bodily generated Magical Essence) in his hand and held it above the the prepared firewood, before channeling it directly into it, adding heat. Not much later, a small flame formed. He wasn't great at fire magic, but he knew enough to light a camp fire. If there wasn't too much wind. Holding back a sigh of relief, he turned to Arturia, who was staring at him with wide eyes and a mouth betraying she was trying to stutter something incoherently, before she incredulously asked "Y-you know m-magic?".

He just gave her a comforting smile, before he went on to stoke the flames and build up a nice little fire to cook over. A little absentmindedly he shrugged and stated "A little". She was still shocked, but didn't seem scared, at least, he hoped. After asking for it, she carefully handed him the herbs, after which he asked her to watch the fire, while he went and cut some strips out of the bear meat they had acquired. There was a whole lot of bear meat, far too much really... He was glad he had picked up how to properly skin and prepare hunted game from some nomadic tribes he had helped out somewhere along his travels. It had proven useful time and time again as he camped out in the wilderness.

He clearly remembered how fond Arturia had been of his cooking while she was his Servant, so he did his best to properly season the meat strips. He didn't have any salt or pepper - yet, but from what she had told him, cooks in this time didn't use any herbs. And he had definitely kept up his cooking skills. Even when he lived off of the land he had made sure to cook for the locals he encountered, or at least for himself almost every night. Without really thinking about it, he projected a cast iron skillet to cook with. Once again, this stunned Arturia. He cursed under his breath. He should be mindful of using projection in front of others, especially if he didn't want to scare her off immediately. He'd have to ease her into it.

After the initial shock, he was glad to see the smell alone made her drop her guard. She was hungrily eyeing the slowly cooking meat in the skillet he held above the flames. When the first few pieces were about done, he warned her what he was going to do, which seemed to help, and materialized a set of chopsticks. A little warily, she accepted them. After making a set for himself and showing her how to use them, she carefully picked up a piece of meat and blew on it a few times to let it cool, before taking a careful nibble. She was intensely staring at the meat in front of her, as her chewing got faster and faster. Not much later, she had devoured the piece and hungrily stared at the remaining pieces still in the skillet.

After cutting up several more large pieces of bear meat, the both of them were adequately satisfied - read: stuffed - and leaned back. "That was delicious..." the young girl lying on the other side of the campfire muttered to him. He chuckled proudly and calmly added "Just wait until I get some more herbs and spices. Some salt, ground pepper... Hmm...".

He was glad to hear her chuckle too now before she softly said "I don't know much about cooking, but if you say so... I don't think anyone in the village uses them, but it really does make a big difference". They enjoyed the feeling of their full bellies for a while, before they noticed it was nearing midday, guessing by the position of the sun at least.

Groggily getting up and stretching, he asked Arturia "So, happen to know where the village is from here? I have to admit I'm not really sure where we are...". She got up too and fidgeted around for a bit, before she carefully said "I... I'm not sure either. I was kind of lost before that bear found me".

He couldn't help but laugh. She pouted and glared at him, but he just ruffled her hair. Instead of pushing his hand away as he had expected when he realized that may have been a bit too familiar for someone he technically just met, she blushed instead.

"S-s-so ehm... I think we should just eh, head south! Yes. These woods are to the north of Bala, so if we just head south, we should be fine!" she quickly said before looking up and determining where what direction was.

He chuckled a little and looked over at the bear he killed. He did go through the trouble of skinning it... And he didn't seem to have any money on him... Thanks mysterious woman. Oh well, he couldn't really be angry. All that mattered was that she brought him to her... To Arturia!

That's when he finally noticed something red. At the bottom of her right arm, it looked like she had a claw wound. The bear must have gotten in a lucky swipe... Damn it! If only he had been just a little faster! He clenched his teeth and silently let out a sigh before calling her over. "I can help with that wound if you want? It's best not to leave it open like that...". He could see her bite her lip for a moment, but then she nodded and said "Alright, I... I trust you".

He couldn't help but smile. He only really knew simple to average healing spells, considering how he mostly still relied on Avalon for more grievous injuries, but he knew plenty to heal a wound like that. So, he gently put his hands around her arm, apologizing for the slight pain it caused her to grasp her wound, and he muttered a soft healing spell. His hands began to glow with a faint, white light. After about ten seconds, his structural grasping told him her wound had fully healed. Removing his hands, he carefully inspected it, and noted there were three faint scars. Sadly, the wound had been a little too deep to heal without scarring. He let out a sigh and frowned a little "There, all fixed. I'm sorry I can't do anything about the scars, I'm not that proficient in healing magic...".

Meanwhile Arturia was just staring at her arm as if he had performed a miracle. Which, he supposed, for the common people not too familiar with magic, it kind of was. After a few seconds she smiled warmly at him and said "Thanks Shirou, I don't mind the scars, at least it doesn't hurt anymore!". She practically beamed happily at him, while he just awkwardly shrugged and chuckled "Don't mention it".

He still had to decide how to approach this whole situation. She was just a child now, not the Saber he had met and fallen in love with. He could watch over her? As a friend. But wouldn't that change who she becomes? Would she still grow to be the fierce, determined and steadfast King of Knights he had fallen in love with oh so long ago? He shook away the thought. That didn't matter. He had a chance. A chance to save her. He was going to make sure she wouldn't become the King that didn't understood her people's emotions, that faced a rebellion from subjects who couldn't understand what she did for them. And most of all he would make sure that she didn't end up dying atop that hill, on that blood soaked battlefield surrounded by her fallen Knights, in the ruins of her kingdom.

He took in a deep breath and let out a long sigh, as if mentally preparing himself for the years to come. Before he turned to the girl and gave her a warm smile "So, want to help me drag this bear back to... eh, Bala you said? I'm sure we could sell the extra meat and the hide for some good coin and split it?".

At least he was definitely not going to be able to drag it back by himself... He was glad his magic seemed to work properly, and he even seemed more capable than before. It was as if there was noticeably more natural magical essence, or Mana (in comparison to the magical essence within one's body; Od) around than in modern times, which made sense in a way. Technological improvements had made many types of magic obsolete, which caused them to fall out of practice and eventually lose their potency. Magic is fickle like that.

She pondered a little, but then gave him a warm smile and said cheekily "Alright, I even know where we can sell it!".

It took them just under two hours to drag the rather heavy spoils of their.. eh, 'hunt' as they had decided to call it, to the nearby town of Bala. Passing through the forest, he made a mental note of several small streams they crossed, as well as one particular one that had a small alcove between some cliffs. Perfect for a hidden camp site.

On the way to Bala, Shirou had taken some time to properly study and Structurally Grasp his clothing as well. Besides being of seemingly high quality, they were also enchanted with protection and durability magic that he couldn't quite understand. If anything, it reminded him of the runes and magic inherent in Avalon, albeit to a far lesser degree. Was that woman that brought him to this... time, a fairy? He sighed internally. She was gone. No point in wondering about it for now. At least he wouldn't have to worry about clothing for a while...

As the town got in sight, he did stop to close his cloak, though, he did project a sword in advance, just in case. He could have used one of his shorter Noble Phantasms, but he didn't want to stand out too much. Instead, he opted for what looked like a fine, well-crafted and probably somewhat expensive looking arming sword. It was several centuries early, but it was one of his more favored blades that he could normally keep projected for at least a day (although he suspected with the high amount of Mana present at this time in the world, it would perhaps be much longer), and it had a more antiquated design that didn't stand out too much from the designs of this era. It was a Mystic Code though, with essentially an enchantment that made it lightweight and extremely durable. It projected hanging from his belt in a sturdy, but simple black sheath. Arturia didn't notice.

He was glad to see that Arturia led him to a tanner on the outskirts of the town. Best to avoid as much attention as possible, for as long as possible. He wasn't quite sure what to make of it when the owner offered them twenty two silver pieces for the remaining meat and the bear hide, but judging from Arturia's wide eyes and open mouth, it probably was quite decent, so he accepted. When he gave her half of the coins, as he promised, she just stared at him, before quickly saying "No, I can't take that much! You killed it after all, I just... stood there".

Her expression drooped a bit, but he put a hand on her shoulder and calmly said "Don't worry about it. I never would have been able to drag it to town on my own. I didn't even know where the town was! And besides, it's not your fault you only had a training sword. There just wasn't that much you could do against a grown bear in the first place with that".

She still seemed a little reluctant, but accepted it nonetheless. Deciding he needed some supplies and materials if he was going to be camping in the woods for a while, he had Arturia guide him along to various shops, which she happily did. As he bought a waterskin, a backpack, a bedroll and a simple tent, and some salt and pepper kernels - the two of them were mostly talking about the town and what was in it.

They stopped at a baker that Arturia liked, really liked, judging from her expression, where she insisted on treating him to some pastries. Several of the townsfolk were giving him weary glances, mostly due to his curious appearance, but he paid them no mind. When some of the town's children came running up around them, he broke off a few pieces of his pastries and handed them out, much to their joy.

Eventually Arturia enthusiastically said that he had to come by her home as well. He was a little reluctant at first... Sure, from the Master-Servant bond during the war he had dreamed every night for two weeks about her memories, but none of them were from before she became King. He wasn't really sure how her adoptive father, Lord Ector, or her brother Kay were. He had only really seen them as loyal and serious Knights...

But, the enthusiastic girl in disguise wouldn't have it, and insisted. He was led to a decent, if somewhat modest estate just outside of Bala. It clearly served as the 'Lord's Estate' of the town. Somewhat nervous, Arturia brought him to a door in what looked to be the main building, before she barged in. He slowly followed. He could see an older man with darker, slightly graying hair and honest, if stern, blue eyes. The man gave a small smile as he said "Ah, welcome home Arthur. Where have you been all day, normally you don't stay out this long on your free day?".

At that point Shirou, who had put all of his stuff outside next to the door, came nervously walking in as well. Arturia nervously said "Uhm, thank you father, I came across Shirou here in the woods and I guided him around town as he got some supplies he needed". Shirou knew this wasn't the whole story, but the way she said it, it was obvious to Sir Ector as well... Internally, he sighed. The man's eyes narrowed as they looked at him, so he took a few steps forward, bowed and said calmly "Good day, my lord, I am Shirou Emiya. And your son has been most kind in showing me around town today".

The older man's expression seemed to loosen for a bit, before his eyes were pulled to something... "Say Arthur, what happened to your sleeve? Did you rip another undershirt?". Looking over at Arturia, Shirou could see her fidgeting with her sleeve, halfway behind her back. 'Oh Arturia... You're going to have to deal with politics. So we're going to have to work on your bluffing...' he couldn't help but think to himself.

With a soft voice she said "I... I got lost in the woods and ran into a bear...". At that Ector stood up and quickly walked over with a worried look on his face, inspecting her arm, expecting a nasty wound. Internally, Shirou cursed himself now. He should have used Alteration to fix her sleeve... It's too large a gash to not have made contact with her skin. "How... Has this wound already healed, Arthur...?" the man asked curiously.

Arturia got even more nervous now. As did Shirou. They hadn't discussed him being a magus and whether that would be fine to tell to others. The older Knight frowned impatiently and asked "Well Arthur? I thought I taught you to always be honest and straight forward?".

The girl was fidgeting and stuttering and looked over to him, with an expression clear as day 'help! What do I do?'. He stifled a soft chuckle at her look. Even if she wasn't yet the Saber he had fallen in love with, her expressions were much the same - if a little more obvious. He let out a soft sigh and cleared his throat, before calmly speaking up "My Lord, I do not wish to speak out of turn, but I believe Arthur is simply trying to protect me".

The older Knight sent him an inquisitive glance and crossed his arms "Am I to believe then, that you healed my son's arm?". Shirou nodded and continued in a calm voice, although he was incredibly nervous "That is correct. As you may have already concluded, I am in fact a magus. I am however below average in most fields of magecraft, including that of healing, and as such you have my sincerest apologies that I was not able to heal your son's wounds without leaving scars behind".

Sir Ector frowned and seemed altogether uneasy as he replied "Then I thank you for healing my son, but I would still ask you to leave my son, my people and my domain in peace and be on your way as quickly as possible. We have no need for trouble here, and Mages always bring trouble. Apart from that, I was instructed by the Wizard Merlin to remind any wayward Magus that the domain of Bala is under his protection".

While Shirou wasn't sure what to say or do now, he did his best to come up with... anything. He couldn't start off on a bad foot with Arturia's father, not if he wanted to become a part of her life and have a chance at saving her. Before he could try and sway the man's mind, however, Arturia spoke up. Softly, but with clear determination. "No father".

The two of them were equally confused as they looked at the young girl. She was nervous, but she seemed sure of herself as she took a deep breath and said "I know what Merlin said father, mages can be very dangerous, but Shirou isn't like that".

Ector frowned and asked "And how would you know that, child? How long have you even known him? A few hours? half a day at most?". The girl frowned but continued nonetheless in that all too familiar tone that left no room for argument...

"That's true, but I wouldn't be here without Shirou, father. I owe him my life! That bear had me trapped, and there was nothing I could do with just a training sword... But Shirou killed it before it could kill me, and then he even tended to my wounds. As a Knight, even just one in training, I owe him a debt that I have to repay!".

The old Knight seemed a little taken aback, unsure of what to say. Shirou couldn't help but give Arturia a warm smile as he calmly said "Thank you for coming to my defense, but please, don't worry for my sake. I did nothing worthy of either praise, reward or a debt to be fulfilled. I simply did what anyone with power in such a situation should do. Stand up for those without it".

Now it was the girl who looked at him with stunned eyes, as he turned back to her father, who seemed to eye him with curiosity, instead of the animosity he showed before. Shirou never was one for politics, titles and pleasantries. Rin was always the one who sweet talked him out of trouble with the Mages Association and the Church. But he knew, that if he were to survive in feudal Britannia and remain close to Arturia to help guide her towards a better future, he would need to step up his game.

He realized that here, he could not help her in any way as a vagrant who traveled around doing his best to save people. He would need to make a name for himself, somehow. And that would start by earning the respect of her adoptive father. A Knight with a code of honor. He took a deep breath, took a more confident stance and calmly took off his cloak, displaying the attire and sheathed sword at his side that could only be described as screaming 'noble'.

Putting a fist to his chest, and the other hand on his sheathed sword as he had seen his Saber do countless times, he made a Knight's salute and calmly said "I do have every intention of staying in the woods north of the town for the time being. If it is your wish, my lord, you have my word as the sixth head of the House of Emiya that I will stay out of the town of Bala after today, although I will need to purchase some additional supplies first if that is to be the case".

He paused for a moment, eyeing the expression of the older man, but he seemed only a little off put at what he must see as an eleven year old noble being revealed before his eyes. He suppressed the frown he instinctively wanted to form. He hated titles and politics, nor was he even a noble. He just... woke up with these clothes. But he had already sworn a silent oath to himself that he would do whatever he could and use whatever he had available to save Arturia. So not hearing an immediate reply, he continued.

As he looked over at the girl in question, she too was dumbstruck, like her father. He gave her a comforting smile and asked her "My friend, would you mind if I spoke to your father in private for a moment?".

The girl blinked a few times in confusion and pouted as she asked, a little offended "But why Shirou? I trust you... Don't you trust me?".

He frowned a little, not sure what to do. He was clearly hurting her, and that's the last thing he wanted. After a few moments he added as calmly as he could "Of course I trust you. But this is a matter for the Lord of this domain... And it would be impolite of me to discuss it in front of his charge without him knowing what it is about. I'm sorry, but it shouldn't take too long".

He gave her his best apologetic smile and hoped for the best.

It seemed to work, as she only pouted a little while she bit her lip and nodded, before looking at her father with hopeful eyes. Clearly asking 'can I stay, father?'. Shirou shared a genuine look of concern with the man, and he seemed to understand it somewhat. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, before he nodded and cleared his throat before turning to Arturia "Arthur, please wait outside for a moment".

Arturia clearly wasn't satisfied with that development, but as a good Squire, followed the command of her Lord without question and left the room to wait outside. The door slammed shut a bit harder than was necessary, though. He couldn't help but feel a slight smile curl across his lips at her defiance. Already so strong willed.

Sir Ector let out a deep sigh and sat back down in his chair, before gesturing for the chair opposite of his. Shirou, who had been standing this entire time, nodded and sat down as well. "Well, what is it you wish to discuss, magus?" the old Knight asked a little weary. Shirou took a few moments to gather his thoughts and then started carefully whispering while he leaned forward a bit.

"Please do not take this as a sign of hostility, for I meant it when I said I do not mean you, your family or your people any harm. But I am not like most other mages. Your son is simply... Oozing with magical power, or Od as we call it. I can sense him leaning with an ear against the door as I speak, simply from the amount of energy he possesses.

"You mentioned Merlin earlier, a magus of great renown, even far beyond the borders of the islands of Britannia. I do not know why he chose not to try and hide this power, but I can tell you now that if Arthur were to come across nearly any other magus, he would have a big problem".

He ended with a frown as he lost himself in thought for a few moments. He had not expected Arturia to already possess the amount of power from her Dragon Core that nearly rivaled that of the Servant Saber. They might as well put up a beacon atop their estate at this point for any magus in the region to see.

The old Knight wearily pulled him from his thoughts with a deep sigh asking "I suppose you have a solution to this?". Shirou carefully nodded while he weighed his options before he spoke up again.

"I do not claim to understand Merlin's reasoning, but perhaps Arthur's power has simply grown beyond that which he expected at such a young age. While it is clearly still dormant until he unlocks his Magical Circuits, there's... Almost a sort of smell to it for those attuned to Magical Essences. Because he does not use his bodily generated Od, any excess energy simply oozes out into the world, giving off this 'scent' that contrasts with the world's own, natural Mana.

"I may be a below average mage in the more commonly practiced magecrafts, but I have taken my specializations to levels beyond those of what I have encountered thus far. Given a few days to work, and some decent materials, I should be able to fashion an enchanted jewel for him to wear around his neck that absorbs the excess energy, and thereby removes the 'scent' of power that would alert mages and other... unsavory beings of his unique nature".

Ector grimaced and nodded in thought before he let out yet another deep sigh. Which Shirou found only understandable at this point. The old Knight was a warrior of renown, that much was certain, but he was no magus and not being able to protect his charge in that way must be frustrating.

"I see... From what Merlin has told me about Arthur... I think I can accept your explanation and the points you stated. Although I cannot be sure that this jewel does not do anything else, can I? Am I just supposed to take your word for it?".

Shirou understood his objection. He wasn't sure if he would be able to entrust the safety of someone so close to him to another without having some form of insurance... But apart from a Geas, a magical contract, he couldn't think of anything in particular that could satisfy that need. And Geases don't work when one party is not a magus... He sighed a little and thought for a few moments, before continuing.

"I understand your objection. The jewel in question is fairly common in our community, in the sense that many mages use them to 'store' Od or Mana ahead of time, as a back-up of sorts in case they themselves run out. With a few minor adjustments, it can be used to soak up Od expelled from a body automatically, instead of just what is consciously directed into it.

"While this would normally be useless, hanging it around Arthur's neck, near his 'Core' in the center of his chest where Od is expelled from, it would absorb nearly every bit of excess Od - while not touching his own reserves. When Arthur learns enough to utilize his power, he would even be able to reabsorb the stored Od, which would by then most likely equate to years worth of magical essence. A powerful safeguard in case he would ever be in mortal danger".

He sighed as he tried his best formulate the next part as best he could "Sadly, until you find a way to bring Merlin over, I can't think of any way to give you the insurance you rightly so deserve. If our roles were reversed, I don't think I would trust a stranger, let alone someone so young, with a task such as this. A more unsavory magus could indeed take advantage of this, and sap Arthur of all his strength" he calmly admitted.

After frowning for a while and thinking it over, he added "In any case, I would be more than willing to stand guard over Arthur from nearby, or afar, although the former would make things easier. I am confident enough in my specializations to state I would be able to best most any mage in battle if it were to come that far. And it is very likely that if any magus were to get within a hundred feet of Arthur in his current state, battle would be unavoidable. Few mages would be willing to resist the chance at experimenting on someone carrying something as potent as the blood of a Dragon".

This startled the old man a little as he incredulously asked "You can pick that up?". It was a white lie, for Shirou could definitely not distinguish that source of power and as far as he knew, no one else could either, but it was clear as day for any magus that Arturia had a power beyond comparison. He only knew that she had a Core because she had told him so when he was her Master in the Holy Grail War. But now it was needed to convince the man and there was no other reason for him to know such specifics, so he nodded calmly replied.

"It would take someone of great skill in my highly unusual specialization, and a familiarity with Draconic ancestry to begin with to recognize it for what it was, but yes, I can sense it. But even without recognizing the nature of his power... It's large enough to make most mages their mouths water at the thought of getting their hands on it.

"Even if a magus would be deterred from immediately acting by the sheer power contained within Arthur, or even my presence, chances are they would return later on with more mages in an attempt to overwhelm us. As it currently stands, without that jewel or some other form of masking that perhaps only Merlin would be able to come up with, I will need to fight almost any magus that would stumble across Bala to the death".

Ector's face paled a little when he so calmly and bluntly stated that, but it was necessary to sink in that fact. And it was most definitely a fact. The better prepared they were, the better their chances. And still he couldn't help but wonder. Did this also happen in the original timeline? Or did his arrival change this so rapidly and so intensely? Had he done anything to accelerate her body's Od generation? No. When he heard that scream in the woods, he could almost directly pick up the signature of power. So how was she never noticed by other mages in the original timeline? Or perhaps she was... But someone else is already bound to step in and protect her? Perhaps Merlin would come in the nick of time and save her... He shook away the thoughts and sighed internally. No point in arguing with himself, things are as they are, and he had vowed to protect her to the best of his abilities, so that was what he was going to do.

The old Knight, having regained his composure a little cleared his throat and said "From the way you are explaining things to me, and the determination you show, it is clear you are wise in the ways of both life and magic beyond your years... Even if I don't understand how or why. So I will agree to your proposal with the jewel, and provide you with the necessary ingredients I can get my hands on". Shirou was relieved at that, it had gone a lot better than he could have hoped for so far.

Then Ector coughed and stared into his eyes with resolve. It was clear that his next question was going to be important. "I do have questions that I need answered, however... Why? Why are you willing to go so far for a boy you met only this morning? You talk of fighting to the death against other mages who are arguably your senior, all in his defence, as if you were discussing what to do on your day off... And how are you so confident in your abilities to take on seasoned mages in the first place?".

Shirou couldn't help but chuckle a bit. This was Arturia's adoptive father. A man who would protect her with his life, that much he knew from the memories she had shared with him. So he had no reason not to trust the man. Therefore, why not show a hint of his abilities? Subconsciously, all the while, things were starting to clear up, but he couldn't yet see the whole picture of the situation that started with that... fairy when he woke up in the woods this morning...

He shrugged as he explained "I've been told my personality is distorted. In the sense that I don't have a true sense of self-preservation. Don't misunderstand... I do not look forward to dying, and I certainly do not hate life, but at the same time the only true value I can find in myself lies in what I can do for others. I suppose it's both my greatest weakness, as well as my greatest strength. And while those closest to me have often berated me for it, I can confidently say I can find no fault with wanting to save everyone.

"No matter how impossible it may be. I know it is impossible to save everyone, and as such I will take extreme measures to safeguard the innocent and those I care most about over those that would harm them, but at the same time it is still an ideal I strive towards. And while Arthur and I are not truly identical, I know you sense a similar dedication inside of 'him'. Even at such a young age, 'he' is willing to abandon 'his' own identity, happiness - and I fear in time perhaps even 'his' own humanity to fulfill a destiny uniquely suited to 'him'".

He smiled wryly while he paused to let that sink in. Ector seemed to understand the somewhat less than subtle implications he was making in regards to Arturia's destiny and closely guarded secret, before he continued "As for my confidence in battle, I do not believe I am invincible, far from it. But, it is very rare for mages to rely on anything but their long range spells and abilities, that's how overconfident they are in the 'supremacy' of their magecraft.

"I am not like that. I excel in combative magic and have trained tirelessly to fight magic user and magic beings. Not to mention that my father earned the fitting moniker of Magus Killer, for his efforts in hunting down dangerous and vile mages. Apart from that, I am an accomplished swordsman, in multiple styles and techniques.

"I use a type of magic I specialize in to reinforce my own body and the weapons I hold to such degrees that I can hold my own against powerful, magical creatures of the moonlit world in terms of raw speed and strength. Apart from that, my true specialization allows me to almost instantly, produce near perfect, if temporary, replicas of almost any weapon I have ever seen - and especially Swords".

As Shirou finished with his somewhat vague explanation, he projected twenty high grade, Damascus steel longswords in the air, hovering behind him. Swords of such quality do not come into common use until the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, meaning that they are close to miracles in early medieval, sixth century Britannia.

As Ector was gaping at the sight and leaning back into his chair, he calmly added "And that includes magical weapons. Before I show you the one that I most deeply connected with, I first want to once again reiterate, that I have no true sense of self, and therefore no true desires other than helping others. I do not seek power, or wealth. I just want to make those I care about happy and provide them with safety. I myself am essentially a tool. A weapon. A Sword. And I need to be wielded".

As Shirou said that, he focused on tracing and projecting the one weapon he lovingly gazed upon every night, atop that hill in his Reality Marble. The weapon he was most familiar with out of all his traced armory. With a muted flash of light, a near perfect replica of Caliburn, the Sword of Choosing, appeared in his outstretched hands - which by all accounts is still lodged into that stone in Roan, waiting for Arturia to draw it.

Ector gasped as he saw it appear in Shirou's hands and just stuttered "T-That's impossible! Only the one true King can wield it". Shirou gave him an apologetic smile, before he solemnly added "It is true that one needs to be worthy to wield Caliburn - even a copy of it, but it is the Sword itself who chooses and judges who is worthy and who is not. I would not be able to project this holy sword if it had not deemed me worthy enough to do so. This Sword and I have a past I am not allowed to go into, but rest assured that even though I might be able to wield it, and perhaps even draw the original due to that bond, I am well aware that I am not the true King that Britannia needs. And that I know who is".

While Ector was trying to understand it all, Shirou dispelled all his projections floating in the air, and after giving Caliburn a last stroke along its blade, the holy sword as well. In again a calm and confident tone, he spoke the last words that were needed to convince Ector of his allegiance. Only now did it even make sense to Shirou himself. The pieces of the puzzle were finally starting to fit. He wasn't just brought her to give him a second chance at being with the woman he loves... No. After a few moments, he calmly stood up and knelt in front of the older Knight.

Bowing his head down he calmly and solemnly swore with words that while they were coming out of his mouth, did not truly his own. He wasn't actively thinking about what to say, but the words just seemed to flow out.

"I make this vow to you now, Lord Ector, Knight of the late King Uther, as her guardian until she is ready to take up her destiny and answer or deny this vow herself. The destiny of being the true, Once and Future King of Britannia, belongs solely to her. Arturia Pendragon. Fairies are... whimsical and puzzling, but I understand the destiny they have granted me now.

"For as long as she will have me, I will fight by her side. Her enemies wil be my enemies. And for as long as she will need it, I will be strive to be a pillar of support and guidance in the ways of the world from which she was sheltered for her own protection - a friend. Without that support she would still be a King, yes, but I will strive to ensure she will remain Human as well.

"For she deserves that, a chance at being more than just a King for the people without her own identity. A chance at being her own person. I am in essence a human Sword, and she, my wielder. So I will ask you once more. Do you accept this solemn and binding oath in her stead until she is able to answer or deny it herself, Lord Ector?".

Arturia had immediately propped herself up to the door as soon as she slammed it shut, hoping to catch at least some fragments of the conversation. But her targets were sneaky... Grr... They were probably keeping their voices down, just in case she could hear them. Letting out a sigh she slumped down against the wooden door. Minutes went by. Minutes that felt like hours. It really was taking too long... She slowly got up and stretched her legs a bit, but staying within a few meters of the door. Eventually, her brother Kay came back to the estate. He too had been enjoying his day off in the town itself. Seeing her practically stand guard at the door, nervous as she was, he asked her "What's going on?".

She wasn't quite sure herself what in the name of all that was holy was going on in there. So she somewhat nervously said "Well... Uhm.. I was out in the woods again, looking for berries. And then I got lost, and kind of stumbled into a pretty big... bear. And with just a wooden sword there wasn't much I could do so, so I ran". She frowned a little, remembering her own inability to do anything.

Kay chuckled a bit "That's no reason to be so sad sis. Even I wouldn't try fighting a bear of all animals without some spear wielders to back me up. At least you got away, that's pretty good. Bears are... well, faster than you'd expect".

She nodded, as she blushed a little in shame "I... I got chased, and the bear trapped me against a cliff side. I... I couldn't escape. But then Shirou showed up. And he... well.. He used a bow to shoot a sword straight into the bear's forehead, right before it could kill me".

Looking up at her brother, he was just gaping at her, before he started laughing "Right, this is just like that time you were late for sparring because you ran into a troll living under the bridge. You almost had me there, you brat, I'll grant you that!".

She just punched him in his shoulder as she hissed angrily "I'm not lying! He shot the bear with a sword, skinned it, made a delicious lunch and then he healed my wounds using magic, look!" and she gestured at her clearly ripped sleeve and the three claw scars that were present on her thin, if muscular arm.

While Kay was inspecting her arm and slowly turning from amused to concerned, she continued with a satisfied smirk in being proven right "Then we dragged it back to town. He got twenty two silver pieces for the hide and the remaining meat! And he insisted I took half of it for helping him drag it, even if I didn't really do anything but almost get killed...". And she somewhat shamefully showed him the remaining ten silver pieces after explaining that she treated him to some pastries from the local bakery.

Then she frowned and let out a deep sigh "But I don't think father really trusts him, even though I would be dead without him! Because well... He is a magus. And Merlin warned us about other mages... B-but if Merlin can be a good magus, so can Shirou!" She ended on a defiant tone with a huff.

Her brother just sighed and scratched the back of his head as he hesitantly said "Well... Mages are dangerous, Arthur. Do remember that. I agree with father, it's probably best if he were to leave town as soon as possible".

She was about to shout something un-Knightly at him for just dismissing someone who saved her life like that, but then the door behind her opened and she quickly shot up. What she saw... surprised her to say the least. Shirou was walking out with a smile on his face, while her father walked behind him with a similar smile on his own face as well as what looked like small tears in the corners of his eyes.

As they got outside, they stopped, turned and gave each other a firm hand shake, before her father turned to her "Arthur, I wanted to apologize to you". Arturia looked at her father, stupefied, before she muttered "W-what?". He gave her a big smile and quickly wiped away the small tears still stuck in the corners of his eyes before he put a hand on Shirou's shoulder.

"I shouldn't have judged your friend so quickly, so my apologies. It's not often, or... at all really, that you bring home a friend, and I can only be proud that you brought home someone like Shirou here". The young boy her age sheepishly smiled at her and chuckled "You flatter me, my lord".

Her father just laughed and corrected him "This is my son Kay, so like I just said, when it's just us and my family, there's no need for formalities, Shirou".

The boy nodded and replied a bit more confidently now "Alright, if that is your preference, my L-, Ector". Kay just incredulously muttered "This doesn't really match the mood Arthur was describing...".

Kay and Arthur looked at each other, both still too stupefied to really understand what was going on, but they were urged inside when their father announced Shirou had graciously proposed to cook for the four of them that night.

The words and vow that he spoke to Lord Ector had rolled off of his tongue. While he was saying them, he had felt as if they weren't his words. As if someone was telling him to say them. But as he was cooking and relaxing a little, he realized it wasn't like that at all. They were words he had considered for a long time. Whenever he fantasized about being able to save his Arturia. A guilty dream, a fantasy best hidden and locked away as to not lose hope and fall to despair.

And now he had finally been able to say them. Not to her, but it was the first step. The first step on the path to her salvation. And he would make them count. He had never expected the Lord to take them so well. Perhaps the man could tell that he was being genuine and sincere. And he had been. He had omitted some details, sure, but everything he said had been truthful and every sentiment, every worry for Arturia had been real and from the bottom of his heart. After the old Knight had accepted his oath, they had talked a little more. And agreed that it would be best if Arturia were to be none the wiser for the moment. He would protect her, but also just stay her friend. A peer that she could rely on to be there for her. Not another teacher to look up to.

By the time he and the two servants of Lord Ector's household had brought out the various western dishes he had managed to cobble together with what little variety of ingredients, herbs and spices he had managed to scrounge together, Arturia was excited and careless, wanting to relive the taste of the somewhat flavoured bear meat he had made for her that afternoon. Kay was, logically so, still wary of him. He just came home one day to find a total stranger, who was acknowledged and accepted by his family as a powerful magus and welcomed with open arms as far as he could tell. He was fully prepared for it to take a long time to earn his trust, but after the first bite he took of his food, he had already won him over.

Satisfied, he enjoyed their genuine happiness at his culinary arts and the honest, giddy smiles they showed - more so than the food itself. Knowing how much his Saber had always eaten when he cooked, he had made sure to make plenty of extra food, but everything was eaten. Nothing was spared. He was softly chuckling as the four of them took place in seats around the fireplace. It was already dark... And he still hadn't set up a camp site yet. He needed to reach it as well. In the dark. His mood darkening a little, but still just being content that his first day being thrown back in time actually turned out to be a success, he just reveled in the warmth of the fire. Eventually, as Arturia was clearly slowly falling asleep he got up and excused himself, thanking them for the hospitality, but stating he should really get going and set up his camp. Immediately, Ector had intervened and led him to one of their guest rooms. Everything could wait till tomorrow. That happy smile and the twinkle in Arturia her green eyes when they said goodnight was enough for him. Just in that moment, nothing else really mattered.

It didn't take him long to drift away into a deep sleep.