WE EACHDRAIDH NOW

[protozymandias]

[BECAUSE I'M THE MOST UNIMAGINATIVE PIECE OF SHIT IN THE WORLD WITH ZERO CREATIVITY.

THE ONE TRUE KING OF THE SEELIE HAS ARRIVED, PEASANTS.

WHAT DO.]

You there! You have the honour of acting as the King's attendant until I no longer require you. Speak with me of this world.

Comments

[gandere]

[ Why. Why does this keep happening to her? Is it a stroke of bad luck? Is it her fate to be shoved into this role every single time? ]

I suppose it can't be helped. [ IT CAN, RIN. JUST. WALK. AWAY?? ]

What is it that you want to know? A little direction would be great, otherwise I'd just tell you what any native born individual could just to fill in the holes which could take all night.

[protozymandias]

[Really should've walked away Rin.]

Did you not hear? The great king has requested you stay by his side. If we are to speak through the night, then we will.

Now, which court do you belong to?

[depicted]

[Dorian doesn't even look at this golden asshole before answering—]

I've already told you that I'm not going to agree to be your servant, Gilgamesh—

[Wait. what? What? That's not Gilgamesh!

He's hotter!]

Ah—my apologies. I mistook you for someone else. [THAT SAID—] I believe we should go through introductions first, should we not?

[protozymandias]

That the sun would burn so brightly and yet be mistaken for a candle...impudent. [AND HE LAUGHS but where's the joke.] But I'll overlook it. A king should be kind as well as cruel, after all.

Now listen well - you stand before none other than the king of kings himself, Ozymandias.

[depicted]

[Certainly, he is dramatic. But charming. Also handsome. Wait, what is this about kings being cruel?

Ozymandias.]

Ozymandias, king of kings. [He repeats the words in part to affirm them, but in part because his mind is completing the lines. It is very hard not to repeat them aloud.] And I am Dorian Gray. It is a pleasure, Your Majesty.

[when in doubt roll with your courtesies]

[protozymandias]

Dorian Gray.

[Repeated just as he had done with Rider's own name, just a tad bit curious. Considering what he'd said before, then—]

And are you the kind of man who seeks a master, Dorian Gray? A servant by nature?

[Of course, if he was grail war familiar, that sentence would mean more and give Rider the answer he really sought from asking.

Servants were given knowledge of times beyond their own, so he recognizes this man's identity, and it's entirely possible someone like Dorian Gray - whether he existed or not - could be a servant in the war. Especially considering that servant remark he'd made before. If he was here, couldn't other servants be too?

Then again, Gilgamesh would likely be a servant as well...unless it was an oddly named master.]

[depicted]

[Dorian's eyes narrow, just a moment. The idea of master and servant certainly has some kind of resonance. But no Command Seals mark his hand, and there is no sense of mana, of energy, coming from him. Indeed, he is an absence of it. He simply does not register as having any mana at all, except that slight spark from his Shard.

So perhaps that familiarity with 'master' and 'servant' has nothing to do with the Grail War?]

I neither seek to serve nor to be served, except by the usual household staff. I don't appreciate being so bound to another.

[cut to: two months later, Dorian waving around his new Command Seals]

[cagedinflesh]

[Why does this guy seem awfully familiar, kind of in the same way Gilgamesh did, hmm...

-oh. oh. At this moment he isn't sure whether it's a good or bad thing that he isn't so easily recognisable. ...Unless his presence is recognised. Thanks for taking away his Presence Concealment, monarchs.]

...What would you wish to speak on?

[protozymandias]

[No, no, he certainly recognizes that man he's addressed, judging by the look he's suddenly got. Clearly the lack of recognition was brief.]

Speak? Hmph. If it's you, then you certainly weren't brought here to speak, Berserker. [He gestures with two fingers and points at Jekyll.] Rather, I'm sure the Unseelie desired themselves a vicious little attack dog. That is your court, isn't it?

[And he's 100% convinced he's correct in saying that.

Of course, he knows Berserker's hella strong - but as if he'd drop that regal attitude of his for even a second.]

[cagedinflesh]

It is. Is that so very clear?

[He doesn't appreciate the jab though. Either one.]

As you can see, however, I am quite capable of speech and very plainly not a dog. I will thank you not to make such suggestions, Rider.

[protozymandias]

Is it? I can't see any alternative. That a wild beast would stand in a court of light alongside the very sun itself is laughable. And speak you may...but of what use it that to someone of your nature?

A beast's nature is to destroy, just as a king's is for conquest. Even if others contend that, I certainly won't overlook that on account of your behavior.

[cagedinflesh]

Yet I am no beast, and so I am afraid your assessment is entirely wrong. I do not destroy, such a thing should not be assumed simply for the curse of Mad Enhancement. That forced insanity cannot possibly speak for a person. You would do well to remember that here.

[protozymandias]

Hah, you still fail to understand... —well, that's fine. It's not something I'm invested in.

Back to our original topic, tell me of this war. Are both courts truly locked in a stalemate?

[Shifts gears just like that, as if they're friends or something.]

[cagedinflesh]

[No, he understands, he wants to say, but he doesn't like it.]

They are. It never seems to move in the favour of one side without the other pushing back enough to even the field again within the day. They are terribly evenly matched.

Not unlike our war I suppose.

[protozymandias]

Hah. How unfortunate I have no interest in supporting them, or that stalemate may have come to a close at long last. I despise needlessly prolonging anything, but taking orders from those beneath me even more so.

[Isn't he glad another servant from his war is finally here.]

[cagedinflesh]

There are other Servants here, one would hardly make the difference whether he chose to fight or not. I know you to be powerful by experience and will not at all deny that, rather I would commend you, yet neither you nor I would change a thing. Even we are not strong enough and should not fancy ourselves so.

this was just one comment nvm

[protozymandias]

You needn't compare us so easily, unless you need further demonstration of the difference in our power. My patience will run out long after you've suffered enough in the fires of Mesketet to realize it.

Although you do have me curious. What other servants?

[cagedinflesh]

[Look buddy it took three of you to kill him, and that's after his Master died. Don't be looking down on him so much (and he's even stronger now thanks Satan). But as exasperating as it is for Jekyll to keep hearing this, at least he doesn't care, ultimately. So he won't argue, although Hyde might.]

None from our time so far as I have seen. Two Lancers and Sabers, [one of which has the same identity as theirs, but Rider doesn't need to know that. He won't tell any of the identities he knows.] a Berserker, a Rider, there was an Archer, and...well I am not certain what he is, he goes by name and so I had not thought to ask. Gilgamesh is the other.

i'm sorry.

[sangilak]

... But you're not the king.

no you're not (but it ok anyway)

[protozymandias]

Hah. Is that what you think? Well listen well and learn, woman!

Even amongst kings there exists a hierarchy. No matter how many rulers establish themselves, one will always reign above them.

And I, Ozymandias, am none other than the king of all kings! So it's only natural. Others may be king, but I am King.

[But even he can't communicate random capitalization of a word through just saying it.

OR CAN HE.

No, he really can't. That'd be silly. So his whole speech just ends up sounding silly too.]

BITCH I MIGHT BE

[sangilak]

[ there's a long pause... ]

Huh, that's funny, 'cause I've been hearing around the castle that this guy named Gilgamesh is king of all kings.

[ SHRUGS ]

Or... King of heroes. I dunno, I don't pay attention to gossip.

absolutely refuses to believe 1/2

[protozymandias]

King of Heroes? [SCOFFS SO HARD.] A meaningless title. No better than a man bearing a brooch and claiming it as his crown.

Even he is beneath my notice.

[protozymandias]

...although you're not the first person to bring him up either. Hrm.

I'll admit, I'm a little curious.