Hunter of The Red Plains

An Old Friend: Chapter IV

As the soft shine of sun began to touch his face, Archer slowly opened his eyes. The moment he did so was the moment crimson spear being thrown to him. If he was a second late to lay down to right, he might have had another hole on his head. He looked at the woman, the owner of that spear, and "What the hell are you doing you damned woman!?" He said. She narrowed her eyes before an "Huh?".

"Isn't it certain?" She added, as if it was all normal. "I have awaken you." Archer pointed at the lance which was stuck in the wall, with a questioning face directed to Scathach.

She sighed. "Just stop crying already, baby boy." She told him afterwards. "Get up quickly, we shall be leaving about now." And just like that, she left him in the room. He pulled out the spear from the wall and got up to follow her outside, to see the beauty of sky with the sun rising inside it, smiling at a new day brightly. As he could tell from the position of sun, it should have been about five or six o'clock of morning. Too early to wake up! If he was allowed, he would sleep for more two or three hours without any regret or hesitation. His thoughts got out of his mind as he saw Scathach, at the coast with a sail. Well, it was a bit small to be called as ship but at least it was here. He moved closer to see her packaging something in the sail which was already on the sea.

"Ready?" He asked, as he raised the spear, to hand it. "Should be." She responded, as she stood up before taking the spear. Archer was not able to realise it until they shared a dinner, since it was all dark and like, y'know, they were fighting to death, that Scathach had a unique colour of hair which was red/purple, creating a complete harmony with her eyes of ruby. As he could see at the moment, she had worn the same clothes as the earlier day; a tight, purple cloth that covered her body in full, with a cloth of a darker shade of purple, the same colour of her headdress, on her torso which was covering her chest and going down through her hip. Those were put one-piece by strings all over her bottom, and her clothing was complete with her high-heeled boots which was passing her knees.

"Shall we go then?" She offered. Archer nodded as his response, as he quit staring unconsciously, before they got in the sail. Since Scathach filled it with all her things, they had to share a very small amount of area. Too tight! Archer thought, since he could feel her kicks in his stomach. Scathach, while totally ignoring his mentionings, kept her glance at sky.

"Seems like The God of Wind shall not be helping us today." Then, she handed a pair of oars to Archer. He looked at her, with an un-understanding expression. "What? You should start rowing." She mentioned. He took a deep breath and released it to relax himself. She surely was a rival to an old friend of his when it came to annoyance. She had the gaze of crimson instead of blue, that was the difference.

"Weren't you a mage? Don't you own a rune of wind?" He asked, but he only got a shake of her head as a response.

"I do not own such thing, and even if I did, I wouldn't use it for such thing. It is better if we get there earlier, boya, so get started!" Archer sighed as a response and began to rowling as he said "Aye, ma'am." While sailing, or rowling, Archer asked her which way to go, and Scathach explained that to him by her rune and map. Then, she told him to follow the way rune showed, and that he would eventually arrive there. As the time flew away as minutes or hours, god knew which, Scathach felt sleepy. She realised that and mentioned that she wanted to sleep.

"This would be the only help you could be since I do everything, so go on. I am greatful since I won't be kicked." He replied. She too was aware that it was tight and her legs were kicking him unconsciously, or consciously, so she decided to move to a more comfortable position to sleep. She spinned around, leaned her head to his chest as she lyed on his lap. He didn't say anything due to shock, he was just staring at her blankly. After a few seconds, as Archer got his mind back, a few words got out of his mouth. "What are you doing?"

"I want to sleep, isn't it noticable? Do not move too much, will you? If you wake me up, you shall be facing consequences." She rippled a little to get more comforted before having an "Ahh... That's good." And closing her eyes, falling asleep.

"Hey! Don't you sleep on me!" Archer called out, causing her to open her eyes, staring daggers at him.

"Be a good boy and be quiet." She told him.

"It's not that easy to rowl with you on me, grandma!" He told her, causing her to open her eyes widely.

"Who is that grandma you mentioned? Do I look like an old woman?" She asked seriously.

"There isn't a single day in a million years that you shall look like an old woman, doesn't it correct? Even though your body is around twenties, your mind and soul have already beyonded hundreds." He mentioned, looking directly into her eyes, with his poker face.

"So, you knew of me..." She murmured, yet he was able to hear.

"I surely do." He replied. "I-" his sentence was cut as he realized that he was about to say "I know of you since you're an important figure from Celtic Myths." Alright, he was dumb as hell. He stopped for a few seconds, which caused Scathach to become suspicious a little.

"I had my research, after all." He said quickly, feeling relieved that something flashed to his mind.

"Research, huh? What kind of sources do you have, I wonder." She told as she sheltered her suspicious gaze.

"Most reliable sources that even heavens and deities would be envious of it. But this is not time to talk about it, correct? Get some sleep. I shall wake you up as we reach." Archer told her as he covered her eyes with his hand. She held his hand and raised it from her eyes, just to give a final look to him. Then, she yawned and put his hand where it was, on her eyes, her hand staying on his still.

"Very well," she said. "don't you shake the sail too much, Archer." And just like that, she abandoned the realm of reality in order to go to the land of dreams. Emiya just sat there for several seconds, might have been minutes, before pulling his hand from her eyes and from her grasp. After giving a gentle smile to the peacefully sleeping face of Scathach, he started to rowl once again. If only she was like that while she was awake, he thought and kept on rowling for hours until he found a powerful wind to lead the way.