sword of promised halp
"My love."
Kirei's lips parted in faint surprise. He turned and her arms were around him, her fingers swan-feathers on his hard dusty neck.
"Claudia," he said, but the memory was too far away. Nothing came.
His wife laughed, a hacking peal of delight. She was hanging light off him, her white slip billowing. She nuzzled his cheek and her eye-bandage brushed his brow.
"Oh, Kirei, my love. We're going to have a baby."
"Caren," he said in his cut-cable voice. "Her name is Caren and she will never know her mother." But his voice vanished across time's silent reaches.
Claudia beamed and dropped to the ground. Even now her bones dug into him, disease-worn. Like fraying toothpicks. Just one brush -
No, no. If he could love anything it would be a dying girl.
"No words, my love? I knew it. You're just as delighted as me, aren't you?"
Their marriage was a ravine. She was the shining village maiden, smoothing the sheer drops with nothing but her beloved's likeness.
"Yes."
This lie was real. He had said it back then.
"You love me, don't you?"
"Yes."
She cupped his cheeks in her quivering hands, ran them over his melancholy edges.
"You're a good man, Kirei. God will save you."
And she had kissed him, pouring her desperate self into his empty aching soul.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
"My love! What are you doing to Caren? No, stop!"
The scream stopped him. He looked, dazed, at the wailing baby under his arm. Down at the kitchen table, at the scattered knives. At the knife just brushing his fingers.
"I... she was crying..."
She stormed up, snatched the bundle, and with all the strength she could muster slapped him in the face. Any harder and her hand would have shattered. As it was her bones had nearly bent.
"You... I...." breathed Claudia, lips white.
He touched his unmarred cheek. Her gasps gave way to helpless wails. He took a step forwards, arms wavering useless at his waist.
"Claudia, I don't know what happened. Forgive me."
"Don't worry," choked Claudia. "It doesn't matter. You're a good man, Kirei. I know it."
His hands fell. Mother and child huddled until only one was crying.
Jesus.
He gave her the last rites and stood back.
"My love."
Her voice shone pale at the edges, like bright patches of skull. She lay in their bed like a corpse. The sickness had nibbled and gnawed and finally torn at her, invisible teeth stealing flesh with every passing day.
"Come here, my love."
The room loomed silent. He touched her cheek, feeling the bone beneath.
"I'm leaving now. We'll meet in heaven, my love. Take good care of Caren. I know you can. You will."
She wandered, breathless, then seemed to remember. A clatter of pills. She opened the bottle, wrestling, and sighed as it popped open.
He watched as she emptied it, slow and intent. He did not stop her, though his hands were shaking. Capsules spilled on her dress and lodged in her teeth. She swallowed and choked and coughed and choked again. Then she composed herself. Saliva ran down her neck, bubbling peaceably.
"Oh, no. You shouldn't cry for me," she breathed. But she was smiling, like it was all she'd hoped for.
It was the last thing she said before the convulsions.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
And there was the truth. The truth that drove all hope of salvation from his eyes.
He should have loved her. He wanted to love her. He had married her to love her. But her love sparked nothing. He was the abyss, with only one desire. She had thrown her all into him, believing, and smiling she had broken to pieces in his depths.
He had not cried because Claudia was dying. The tears had sprung unbidden from his soul.
She was leaving by her own hand. He would never get to kill her himself.
pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Random thing I did for an RP I'm in, thought it might be relevant as a little vignette.
edited 26th May '15 6:55:35 AM by troydenite
'Being around you guys makes me go "wtf" instead of pondering the ever increasing dread of time' - EchoingSilence, 2023
himitsu keisatsu
... You know, something just hit me.
Saber has the magical core of a Dragon, right?
...
Does this make her a Dragonborn?
himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
So... dragon sex consists of hallucinations?
himitsu keisatsu
No, but it does mean you should be really, really glad she ain't a screamer.
himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
Well, if she could do that, there's no reason she shouldn't use it on, say, Gilgamesh.
himitsu keisatsu
Gilgamesh can probably No-Sell that shit, though.
'Cause, you know... Gilgamesh.
himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
He had sex with dragons first! And it was a GOLD dragon!
And Gilgamesh do it with a Gold Finger! And a Gold Member!
Come to think of it, releasing Invisible Air does look similar with something big releasing a long, holded breath.
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
![[lol]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lol2v12_4863.png "[lol]"){kind=small}
Bad mind! BAD! Go sit in the corner!
Saber: <glares with outrage while blushing madly> I cannot believe that you would even think of such a thing! It's disgusting! HAVE YOU NO SHAME?!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry! But you have to admit... The mental image is hilarious!
Saber: I am this close to skewering you with my blade, pervert.
Sorry, I'll be good! I swear!
edited 29th May '15 5:12:15 AM by MarqFJA
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
What alternative ways are there for the human body to release air out of it?
EDIT: Wow, awkward pagetopper.
edited 29th May '15 2:13:59 PM by MarqFJA
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
himitsu keisatsu
No, a pagetopper asking about the merits of social darwinism would be awkward.
himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
AFAIK, Saber wouldn't mind. Belching was even considered polite way to express your pleasure for your host, not just in Middle East but also in Europe, until the whole Renaissance thing.
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
I'm not talking about belching. <resumes running away from Royally Outraged Gilgamesh>
Gilgamesh: Mongrel! Your vulgarity has exceeded even the King's all-encompassing patience! Now stand your ground and cease your usage of foul trickery to elude the King's Divine Justice, coward!
Sorry, Goldie. I prefer to have all my limbs attached— WHOAH! <dodges more frantically as Gate of Babylon unleashes more and more dangerous payloads>
edited 29th May '15 4:06:46 PM by MarqFJA
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
Saber… fights with swordfarts…
Fandom Heretic
Marq, you idiot. If you know that opening your mouth in pervert-mode will bring angry Epic Heroes down upon you, then why do it?
He already being chased. He just being polite. Mobile is a wonderful thing.
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
My mouth ran off before I even realized what I was thinking! What do you want me to do?! <is still dodging ancient Noble Phantasms, then a surprise Excaliblast>
Saber: STAND THY GROUND LIKE A MAN AND ACCEPT THY JUST DESSERTS, FOUL KNAVE!
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
The Cat Knows Where It's At
I'm wondering how you're managing to dodge both the Gate of Babylon and Excalibur.
Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
Hey, I'm an *DUCK* Author! I *DODGE* possess phenomenal *JUMP* cosmic powers *DIVE ROLL* over reality! Superhuman *TELEPORT* dodging skills *MATRIX-STYLE EVASION* are possible!
Gilgamesh (with charging Ea in hand): Then how about I tear down reality itself, mongrel?!
Huh? OH CRAP! CODE BLACK, CODE BLAAAAA—
<FWOOM>
—AAAAAAAaaaah?! <notices he's no longer in the Nasuverse> Oh, damn. <sags in relief> Good timing there, Ninja Maid-tan. I see Mad Scientist-tan fixed the trans-universal teleporter.
Ninja Maid-tan: We really need to have you checked out for Saotome Foot-in-Mouth Syndrome, Master. This can't be normal.
Yes, I know. After my heart stops feeling like I'm having a heart-attack.
edited 30th May '15 7:21:38 AM by MarqFJA
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
The Cat Knows Where It's At
And now we never mention this ever again.
I have no idea what meds you came off of, Marq, but I suggest you go back on them.
Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!
The Cosmopolitan Fictioneer
I don't have meds in the first place... Wait, what is Shadow Crystal Mage's crack doing in my salad? Goddammit! Ninja Maid-tan, find out who's responsible for this!
Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus.
The first step is accepting Ninja Maid-tan doesn't actually exist.
The Cat Knows Where It's At
The second step is to light your hair on fire. All of it.
Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!
I suppose. At least until the Servants start coming into play which happens at... oh... Chapter 10 (there are currently 30 and the Holy Grail War hasn't even started). After that, I really wouldn't compare the two. Hell, even before that, I wouldn't say they're even remotely similar other than they're both heroes of justice who wield a bow.
Let the joy of love give you an answer! Check out my book!