A Different Fate - [Rewrite]

Chapter 11:Experiences in London

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After they returned to the hotel, they went to their respective rooms, even though it was still early in the day. In some ways, they both wanted to be alone for a while.

Gilgamesh wished he could deny it, but he had found it… a little more than interesting to see the grave of King Arthur.

To think that a tiny and delicate-looking woman like Arturia had shouldered the burden of an entire kingdom on her own, and for so many years… he grudgingly admitted to himself that perhaps he had not really seen how much strength had been needed for such a feat.

Nevertheless, he could have no more doubts after that day.

Only someone like her was truly worthy of his love.

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In her room, Arturia's mind was still concentrated on Glastonbury Abbey. She began to go through her daily physical exercises, trying to relax her mind and meditate… but Gilgamesh's red eyes kept finding their way back into her thoughts.

While using Excalibur to fend through the air, the King of Knights decided to let herself ponder over what had happened.

For the first time, she considered the idea that Gilgamesh might have some genuine interest in her. Not as a mere form of amusement – as she had always thought –, but perhaps something… different. She had always been firmly convinced that when he had 'proposed' – or rather, made that completely irrational declaration he called a proposal – he had just wanted to add her to his treasury… and it was probably true.

However, she could not deny that Gilgamesh had changed during the last few years… and she had changed, too. What had just happened between them, that strange connection and understanding of each other… It was something that would never have happened in the past.

However, it had just happened.

What could that mean? Gilgamesh, against everything she could and would have expected from him, had shown his respect for her… as a king and a person equally.

That was… strange. And… astonishing.

Arturia had never met anyone who could begin to understand her and see what her life had been like. He… well, he probably could not either, but in some ways… he could, after all.

The King of Knights reflected, while her invisible sword danced with her through the moves she knew better than anyone else. Other people had shared some of her points of view as well… Irisviel, the desire to help others… Lancer, the knightly code of honour… Illya, the wish to improve… But all of them were very different people from her, and none of them knew anything more than that about her.

Gilgamesh, instead… she was quite confident that they had very little in common, aside from the fact that they had both been kings in their previous lives. And yet, he seemed to have been able to understand her better than other people… people she cared about.

That made her movements suddenly come to a halt. The people she cared and had cared about were not able to see her inner self… but someone like Gilgamesh, for whom she did not care, just could?

She was about to resume her training when her mind and body stopped again. She really did not care about the King of Heroes… did she?

The thought was a frightening one, but Arturia had entered deathly dangerous battles before and she was not about to let random thoughts scare her. She considered carefully, while unconsciously Excalibur disappeared and she sat on her knees to reflect.