With Gareth already undergoing the memory link and Da Vinci returning to compile the data she had collected, this left Vahn and Artoria seated across from Gawain and Galahad as they explained the situation. Informing them about the memory link was unnecessary, as it was included in the information provided by the summoning system, so the meeting was more of a formality to explain Artoria's situation than anything else.
Needless to say, the two former Round Table members were more than a little surprised to learn that the King they had dutifully served was actually a woman. However, with Merlin also showing himself, combined with the fact they were in the Ivory Castle, they knew it was the truth. This affected Gawain a lot more than Galahad but, as his greatest regret in life was placing his own pride over his duty, he quickly set aside his conflicted thoughts to discuss the state of the Empire and its goals.
As the Knight Commander of the Interior, Gawain would be tasked with selecting Knights to guard the Ivory Castle and its residents. In the Knight Orders, it was a position second only to the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights, a position that would be held by Artoria until she trained her successor.
Despite his trustworthy nature and adherence to duty, Gawain had never been allowed in the Inner Sanctum unless specifically requested by Artoria. This was usually only to access the Armory of Camelot as, even with his prestige and status, he did not have the right to enter the Inner Sanctum of his own accord. In the future, these kinds of distinctions would become very important so, now that their numbers were beginning to grow, Vahn had to clearly lay the groundwork for how they would operate in the future.
With no Knights to command, at least for the time being, Gawain's most important task would be filling the position of Grand Marshall until, much like Artoria, he groomed a successor. This actually gave him more authority during certain situations than Artoria, the Queen-Empress Consorts, and the Imperial Princesses. Though this only applied when Court was officially held, it was a very high position, one which Gawain had accepted graciously.
After the discussion of Gawain's duties, the conversation moved towards Galahad, despite the fact he had not accepted any status within the Court, including Knighthood. Vahn didn't really mind this so, after preventing Artoria and Gawain from pressuring him, he gave Galahad considerable face by requesting that he take the position as Knight Instructor. He actually wanted to assign Galahad the title of 'Shield of the Empire', so that he could protect the Imperial Family directly, but that would have to wait until he won the man's trust.
As it did not conflict with his sense of justice, Galahad accepted the position without any argument, feeling it was a task he could dedicate himself to. So long as Vahn did not ask him to wield a blade to strike down the Empire's enemies, Galahad had no problem training future Knights, not to serve the Empire persay, but its future peoples. When he later learned that Avalon would one day become a Bastion of Sanctuary to the Fae and other exploited creatures, his convictions were cemented on the spot.
With their duties assigned, the conversation began to shift toward tenser discussions before finally settling on the most 'troublesome' matter that needed to be addressed. Vahn tried to segue things naturally by using Galahad's duties as a talking point, mentioning, "There is something you must be made aware of. This is a matter of extreme importance and, regardless of your personal experiences, I will not tolerate any dissent over this issue…"
Since it was a matter concerning his daughter, the pressure released by Vahn caused both men to feel a powerful suppression. This wasn't solely due to Vahn, however, as Artoria also had a serious expression on her face. She had fully accepted her role as Mordred's mother and, though she had a lot of other concerns that needed to be addressed, she would not allow her daughter to shoulder the blame for Morgan's machinations. Since Gawain was actually Morgan's son, meaning he was Mordred's sister-cousin, she would make him see reason and understand who was truly at fault for his family's suffering…
After the tension increased to the point of causing the furniture to tremble slightly, Vahn began to explain Mordred's situation. Though Galahad didn't seem heavily affected by the revelation, Gawain had become pale as he continued to listen further. After all, his final memories before awakening in the Welsh Dragon's chamber were his remorse at having failed his King. He did not blame Mordred outright for their deaths, as it was his own pride and dismissal of Lancelot that ultimately resulted in their end. At the very end, he had even made a vow that, if he were given a second chance at life, he would dedicate everything, mind, body, and soul, to serving his King…
Despite this vow, it still weighed heavily on him that one of the people he was now sworn to protect was the same person who had killed him in the past. Still, he was a man of honor and, after making his previous vows, which included his oath towards Vahn, he resolved himself to let the matters of the past lay. Though fresh on his mind, it had been more than fifteen-hundred years since that tragic day. Now, just as his Empress requested of him, he would do his best to live in the present, believing in the future they envisioned.
When neither Gawain nor Galahad made much of a fuss about Mordred's identity, Vahn's impression of the two had taken a decisive shift toward a positive light. He did not want all of Mordred's efforts over the last year to go to waste and, if they were able to watch her grow, Vahn believed any grudge between them would fade away with time.
With Mordred's matter addressed, at least for the time being, Vahn began talking about some of the Empire's Trump Cards, both as a means to allay any concerns they might have and, to a lesser extent, give them pause if they ever thought to betray him. Needless to say, they were quite surprised when Alaya presented herself to them, causing Gawain to sweat noticeably while Galahad actually seemed relieved. His [Pure Eyes of the Saint] allowed him to understand that Vahn was telling the truth and, though the latter's aura still troubled him, the fact he was the 'champion' of Alaya alleviated most of his concerns.
—
After talking about the more pressing matters, the atmosphere began to lighten up a bit, courtesy of the food and drinks Vahn had provided. He had wanted to ease tensions before Gareth awoke which, according to Sis, should be any minute now. This didn't go unnoticed by Gawain who, throughout the conversation, would periodically look toward her sleeping figure at the side. Though it was more than a little strange to see a bed in the middle of a private meeting room, he didn't really question his new Emperor's logic as even Artoria, his former King, showed a completely neutral reaction.
As if she hadn't gone from experiencing a severe trauma to witnessing years' worth of memories in turn, Gareth rolled onto her side before curling up in a fetal position. For a brief moment, she began to suckle on the end of her thumb before slowly opening her eyes after hearing a familiar sigh. Her ears twitched in response to this and, after seeing a group of familiar faces staring at her from a small dining table, Gareth felt like a bolt of electricity ran through her body as she immediately hid her hands behind her back while sitting up straight atop the bed.
Though she was clearly fl.u.s.tered, Gareth had a natural smile on her face and two small blush marks that gave her an even more youthful appearance. This, combined with her dark-green eyes, left quite the impression but, even more so than both of these things combined, it was the two twitching dog-like ears drooping at the sides of her head that caught Vahn's attention. She had a pair of normal ears hidden within the locks of her boyish hairstyle but, much like Circe's winged attachments, this extra set of ears, looking more like hair extensions, functioned all the same…
Gareth actually had quite a bit to say to everyone seated at the table but, seeing Vahn looking back at her, the two dog-like ears began to twitch happily as her smile grew wider. She had just watched his life play out from start to finish, including some things that Vahn probably would have wanted to keep from her, so he had left a very big impression on her mind. Thus, while smiling so radiantly it felt like the room had been illuminated slightly, Gareth exclaimed, "Master, it is good to finally meet you! Please, is there is anything I can do, anything at all, just let me know~!"
If Gareth had a tail, Vahn imagined it would be thumping against the top of the bed or wagging furiously from side-to-side. She reminded him a lot of a younger Fenrir, albeit with a different kind of innocence and significantly less bloodthirst. Even amongst the Knights of the Round Table, she was known by her nickname, Beaumains, meaning 'Pure Hands', as she believed it was never justified to take a life. When she was given the opportunity to place a restriction on Artoria's armaments in the past, a ceremony all Knights of the Round Underwent, the restraint she had given was 'The battle must be with the intent of preserving life, not taking it.'
While Gawain wanted desperately to pull his sister aside and address her behavior, he didn't have the right to dismiss himself without permission from Vahn. Even speaking out of turn could be a grave offense in such a situation, as Gareth had addressed Vahn directly. If they were in Court, he would have some leniency to reprimand Gareth but, at least in the present moment, his actions could be misconstrued as speaking 'for' Vahn. Thus, he could only sigh in exasperation while doing his utmost to retain his composure.
Understanding Gawain's struggles, Vahn couldn't help laughing internally while, on the outside, his expression was predominately calm as he smiled in response to Gareth's words, saying, "Lady Gareth, it is good to see you in high spirits after your ordeal. As for what you can do, that is a matter for my Empress, Artoria, to decide…" In truth, Gareth wasn't part of his future plans for the Empire and, at least for the time being, his plan was to allow her to decide her own future while acting as an anchor for Artoria's, Gawain's, and Mordred's mental wellness…
Hearing Vahn's somewhat dismissive words, Gareth's ears drooped somewhat pathetically and, as if she wasn't seated before her Emperor, she slouched atop the bed with a defeated look. This display caused Gawain's brain to buzz slightly but, surprising everyone present, Artoria restored the smile to Gareth's face by stating in the same tone she used to issue orders, "You will be the Emperor's Page in the future, Lady Gareth. I'm certain you will serve him dutifully…"
Vahn felt like banging his head against the top of the table, despite the fact he wore a calm mask on the outside. As for Gareth, she seemed enthused at the idea, her ears protruding out to the side in an adorable manner as she held both fists in front of her body in a guts pose, exclaiming, "Leave it to me, Your Majesty!" before shimmying out of the bed in the next moment. She gave a quick glance at her own appearance before looking around for her armor. Then, finding none, Gareth gave a small shrug before practically skipping over and standing to Vahn's left at attention.
During Gareth's peculiar display, Vahn had gauged the reaction of everyone seated at the table. To his surprise, Gawain actually had a relieved look while, as was often the case, Galahad had no change in expression. As for Artoria, she gave him a rare 'warning' look out of the corner of her eye, causing Vahn to shelve any comments he had about the arrangement until they were in private quarters. He didn't doubt Artoria's decision and, as she had undoubtedly thought about this a lot more than him, Vahn decided to go with the flow until things could be clarified later.
—
With Gareth's awakening, Vahn guided the conversation towards its conclusion, dismissing Gawain and Galahad after advising them to find the time to rest. Neither needed a tour of the castle but he still suggested they walk around a bit to acclimate to the new changes while inside the Projection. If they had any further questions, he told them to save it until after they had experienced the memory link as, more than likely, they would receive their answer there. After that, so long as he wasn't busy, they could ask for a private audience or wait until he called upon them in the near future.
After releasing Gawain and Galahad, Vahn was left with a slightly apologetic looking Artoria and a completely oblivious Gareth. She had a permanant smile affixed to her face, almost as if her muscles had adapted to make that her resting expression. Vahn noticed that, whenever he looked toward her, Gareth's ears would perk up as an expectant glimmer flashed across her crystal-clear eyes. Then, as he turned his attention elsewhere, her smile would return to normal as her ears drooped sadly for a few seconds. Honestly, she was quite adorable but, until he had cleared things up with Artoria, Vahn resisted the almost instinctual urge to pat her head…
Since a Page's duties also involved carrying messages, Vahn decided to give Gareth her first mission, stating in a firm tone, "Gareth, I want you to familiarize yourself with the castle. Things have changed since the last time you were here so it is for the best that you see these changes with your own eyes. A woman named Fenrir will find you shortly. She is your senior and will teach you everything you'll need to know in order to serve as my Page…"
With eyes glimmering like stars, Gareth gave a proper salute before cheerfully saying, "Leave it to me, Your Majesty~!" After that, she alighted from the room with considerable speed, moving with clear purpose and an unwavering gaze. Vahn watched her departure with a neutral expression before tracking her through his domain for a few seconds. When she had moved a considerable distance from their location, he turned his attention to Artoria once again. Her previous stoicism was nowhere to be seen now as she averted her eyes with slightly slumped shoulders.
Seeing her like this, Vahn released a sight before lightly patting Artoria's head and asking, "What is this about, Artoria…?" Though he already had his suspicions, even before summoning Gareth, Vahn wasn't the type to just assume such things. He needed Artoria to explain herself to avoid confusion as, if he acted arbitrarily, that would inevitably result in even greater misunderstandings.
After taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Artoria turned her gaze back toward Vahn, explaining, "I fear that, despite the tragedy she experienced, Gareth would not be able to set aside her loyalty towards Sir Lancelot. Though he never had a place for her in his heart, even I can understand that he had taken up the largest part in hers. It is my most sincere desire that Gareth has the same chance at happiness that I obtained…with her nature and your character, I believe the shadow left behind by Lancelot can be removed completely…"
Though she had never abandoned her feelings for Shirou, Artoria knew first-hand how fulfilling it was to receive Vahn's care and love. Their time together had allowed her to experience many things she never thought possible, not least of which was the almost omnipresent sense of security Vahn brought to them all. He also tirelessly worked to improve himself while simultaneously encouraging and enabling them to do the same.
Vahn felt a bit of deja vu after hearing Artoria's words, causing the image of a Tione to flash across his mind. This, in turn, reminded Vahn of Tiona and, as her personality overlapped with Gareth's by quite a bit, he couldn't help but smile while releasing a sigh. In truth, he felt fatigued by the harem lifestyle but, as this kind of complaint would be disrespectful to the women who had entrusted their affections to him, Vahn willingly shouldered the burden. In the grand scheme of things, he may very well have thousands of lovers over the course of eternity so one more was almost inconsequential in the long run…
As this thought crossed his mind, Vahn could hear Sis sigh in the back of his mind, causing him to laugh internally as he resolved himself. Though he didn't decide to outright make a move on Gareth, he wouldn't deter her budding affections for him as they continued to interact with each other. With that in mind, he gave a small nod toward Artoria, saying, "I will treat her well. Though I believe there may be others suited for the role, I will not turn her away if she chooses me…"
Hearing Vahn's words, Artoria released a sigh of relief as, despite what he might say, everyone in the castle knew he had several weaknesses. His biggest weakness was children, who he earnestly sought to protect, but his most prevalent weaknesses were people with a tragic past and anything that was even remotely cute.
Vahn might not notice it himself but, with his propensity to tease them, it was very apparent to his lovers that he liked to see them acting in 'cute' or 'adorable' ways. During his breaks from training, he could even be found lounging with a flock of Companions, a quirk he shared with Siegfried. Thus, while there were many uncertainties about the future, Artoria felt it was more likely for the sun to disappear from the sky than for Vahn to resist his own urges around Gareth…
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Bullying Mordred is like poking a sleeping dragon xD…','Gareth is eagerly awaiting head-pats (UwU)~!','Vahn's weaknesses…')
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