With the King of Knights

As the final syllable left Rin’s lips, a blinding light erupted from the center of the summoning circle, filling the room with an intense, golden radiance. Rin shielded her eyes against the glow, feeling the magic pulse through her as her body vibrated with anticipation. The air buzzed with raw energy, and she could sense the presence of a powerful spirit stepping into the material world.

When the light faded, a figure stood in the center of the circle—a young woman, clad in gleaming silver armor with a blue outfit underneath. Stoic and regal and heroic. Her blonde hair tied back in a neat braid, and her piercing emerald eyes scanned the room with an alertness that spoke of experience and caution.

Saber. The legendary King of Knights, Artoria Pendragon.

Rin’s heart skipped a beat as Saber straightened and turned her gaze on her. Despite her compact frame, Saber exuded an aura of authority and strength. Rin took a steadying breath, forcing herself to keep her composure. She was prepared for this moment, but actually seeing her Servant before her felt surreal.

“Are you my Master?” Saber’s voice was calm, firm, with a respectful undertone. Her eyes held Rin’s, evaluating her new partner with quiet intensity.

“Yes. I am Rin Tohsaka, your Master,” Rin replied confidently, extending her Command Seal-marked hand. Saber nodded, a faint glimmer of approval in her gaze. But Rin couldn’t hold back her curiosity—Saber was already a legendary hero in her own right. Who wouldn’t be curious about her past?

"So, you really are King Arthur," she mused aloud, half to herself. "A heroic spirit from an ancient time who led knights and wielded the legendary sword Excalibur… Though, I suppose you were more a queen than a king, huh?”

In an instant, Rin’s words became reality. Saber blinked, visibly taken aback. Her expression softened, her posture becoming more relaxed and warm.

“Yes…I suppose I was a queen,” Saber replied, her voice carrying a new gentleness. “Though my people and even my knights believed me to be a king, I always saw myself as a protector of the land, above titles or genders. But, I suppose the truth...has finally come to light.”

Rin looked thoughtfully at Saber, intrigued by the subtle shift in her demeanor. Though Saber retained the poise and strength expected of a knight, something softer now lingered in her expression. It was as though Rin’s offhanded comment had drawn forth a hidden truth—a facet of Saber’s identity that had been waiting to be revealed.

"So, you've lived with all that responsibility on your shoulders, even hiding parts of yourself for the sake of your duty," Rin murmured. "And all that, while watching everything you built... even your love, fall apart right in front of you."

The words slipped out before Rin even realized she’d spoken them. For a moment, she thought nothing of it. But then, Saber’s face shifted. A flash of pain crossed her eyes as she lowered her gaze.

“Yes, I…,” Saber hesitated, as if recalling an old wound. "I was not… unaware of certain things that transpired in Camelot. Watching those I loved betray me, one after another... but I never wavered, for my duty was to protect them, no matter the cost to myself."

Rin’s eyes widened, her curiosity piqued at this sudden vulnerability. Did she know what she’d just done? She leaned in, studying Saber’s expression more closely. “So… you were **** to just watch, even when it hurt you? Like with Lancelot and Guinevere?”

Saber’s jaw tightened, and her hands clenched at her sides. For a moment, she looked away, almost as if ashamed. “Yes… I knew of their affair. I tried to remain steadfast, but… it haunted me. I was bound by my honor as king, my loyalty as a friend, and my love as a… as a woman.” Saber’s voice softened, her eyes casting down. "Yet, I could do nothing but watch, powerless to intervene."

Rin blinked, surprised at the intensity of Saber’s response. That confession was far more than she’d anticipated, and it stirred something strange within her—a sense of closeness and a desire to ease Saber’s pain. “So...you were a Cuck? Just watching your wife sleep with another man?"

Artoria’s nod was soft, resigned, and the vulnerability in her eyes made Rin’s heart twist. But curiosity tugged at her as well. The legendary King of Knights, bound by duty and honor, betrayed yet unyielding. How many secrets still lingered beneath the surface?

"So…what about Merlin?” Rin murmured, her curiosity overriding her caution. “Wasn’t he the one who practically set up all of Camelot? One of the greatest mages to live and your advisor?”

A spark of confusion flickered across Saber’s face. “Yes, Merlin… he was instrumental. Although…” She paused, her gaze distant. “He had his own methods and interests, which could sometimes be unconventional.”

“Unconventional?” Rin pressed, her eyebrows raised. “Like?”

Saber stiffened, but her expression softened a moment later, almost as if some hidden weight had been lifted. “There was a spell,” Saber admitted, glancing away with a slight flush of embarrassment. “A spell that allowed me to bear an heir...made be able to impregnate my wife…though it caused far more turmoil than it solved.”

Rin tilted her head, curiosity deepening. “So, what, Merlin just decides you need an heir and…gave you a dick?”

Saber nodded. “Yes… he said it was a temporary measure, but it left many lasting effects.” She hesitated, then added, “Merlin was often… unconventional, as I said, particularly in matters of gender and identity. His spells had a strange way of bending reality.”

Rin rolled her eyes. “Sounds like Merlin had a lot of fun with his magic.” She chuckled to herself, half-joking. “Wouldn’t surprise me if he was a woman and had used that spell on himself to appear to be a man.”

In an instant, Rin’s idle remark rippled through reality.