Legends -- Diarmuid's Past | A fate/zero Diarmuid x Reader fanfiction

I. Pocket Watch

It all began because of a pocket watch.

"No way! I can't believe you won again!" your best friend, Miley screamed.

You chuckle to yourself lightly. "Well, I didn't plan to actually win," you replied easily, placing your bow and arrows down on a nearby bench.

"(y/n), I swear to God you must have took archery classes when you were little. Ever since we joined the Archery Club, you've kept acing it, over and over again, hitting the bull's eye all the time. And you tell me that you've never touched a bow or arrow before in your life? Impossible! (y/n), tell me your secret weapon!"

"I really never touched a bow or arrow in my life before! I just aim and shoot. End of conversation. There is no secret weapon."

"Face the facts and stop acting like a jealous cow, Miley," agreed my other best friend, Layla. "(y/n) just has a talent for archery, like it or lump it,"I think she's just upset 'cause now she owes me a meal," you reply, laughing. You and Miley had bet on five rounds of archery, and each time you'd won. Probably because it also wasn't very difficult to win against Miley.

"You bet. I mean, is it possible that the cafeteria food has a grudge against me? It tastes like... like! It tastes like sh - "

"Don't swear, Miles," Layla implied in a warning tone. "Anyway, (y/n), it's true that you might have a real talent for archery, you know? I mean, you could represent our school and more,"

"Meh. I'll consider, I guess. It's really more of a hobby to me. Plus, I can't think of archery as my future. Maybe in mathematics or science; I'm better at those."

"Hmph. Still can't believe I lost anyway." Miley complained.

After a shower and a change of clothes, you began walking to the train station so you could take the train home. As you was walking, you nearly tripped over something. What in the... you thought to yourself and you realize you tripped over a gleaming pocket watch. You pick it up and inspect it further. No damage has been done to it, and it looks almost new. It's bright and shining, and it's old-fashioned, like it was crafted in olden times. It looks like an antique. You clench the chain in your fist and watch it dangle under your fingers.

As you wonder whether to bring it home or try to find its owner - not that it would be easy, there's absolutely no one around right now, the road is almost deserted - suddenly you are interrupted by a bright flash... coming from the pocket watch! Surprised, you lift the pocket watch to your eyes, but it doesn't seem to be just the sunlight. In fact, when you lift it up to your face, the flash keeps growing brighter and it intensifies until it blinds you completely! Panicked, you drop the pocket watch entirely as you start to grow dizzy and nauseous, and the edges of your vision darkens. You close your eyes...

Pictures flash in your mind. You try to make out what they are. It's like your grandmother telling you stories - the pictures flicker again, and finally make sense, like how you would flip a picture book and and the illustrations would turn into a brief animation. You lose all sense of time and place.

"Diarmuid, don't leave me."

"Diarmuid, let's run away together."

"Diarmuid, I love you."

I was one of my kingdom's Heroic Forces - heroes that served justice and the lot. As a warrior, I did very well for myself, winning several wars and such with my faithful Gae Bolg at my side. But one war in particular would stick in my memory forever.

My kingdom was my first priority. The citizens that would die because of my carelessness and emotions would make me guilty for life. That was why winning that war - any war - was important to me. That particular war was a complicated one. The main opponent was to get rid of a rebellion trying to overthrow our kingdom, but somehow, we messed up and ended up crashing in a different war entirely.

My kingdom just wanted to be rid of the troublesome rebellion, but unfortunately, there was another nation also in war nearby. Therefore, after eliminating the rebellion, my partner and I got lost.

Luckily for us, the war ended quickly, and as we were making our way back, we met some troops and the king of the winning nation, who unfortunately had also gotten lost, so we offered a temporary truce and traced our way to the kingdom.

On the way, we were ambushed by a group of rebellion survivors. Unluckily for us, they had gunpowder and bombs. My partner sacrificed herself to save us all, grabbing the bomb as it was seconds away from detonating and tackling the last rebel.

They both died.

The king was so touched that he formed an alliance with my kingdom, and although it was my first priority, for once, I was not happy. My partner's death resulted in a happy ending somehow didn't feel right.

I discarded my opinions all the same, and to top off that alliance, the other kingdom arranged for his daughter, Grianne, to marry my king, Fionn.

She hated him. Disappointed to find that Fionn was old enough to be her grandfather.

Grianne was a beautiful maiden, and I found her intriguing. She made me feel as if though I was much much more than just a warrior.

But what that really surprised me was her confession before her wedding day. I could tell Grianne didn't like my king, but confessed that she hated him and would much rather die than marry him.

She said she loved me.

That night was a memorable night, Grianne in my warm embrace. I couldn't remember much of it, but I remembered very vaguely some words of love she had uttered sometime in that night.

She mentioned something about us staying together and running away. From her wedding, from my kingdom, from reality. She just wanted to be with me.

I felt confused, but I couldn't bear to look at her unhappy face, so I agreed reluctantly, feeling my last shred of patriotism fade away, and new, unfamiliar feelings take place. I felt somewhat drawn to Grianne, and when she wasn't by my side, I kept thinking about her.

Perhaps this is what they call 'love'.

We ran away with a few belongings, and hid from our past for a year. That year was a truly amazing one, happy memories of Grianne and I that flitted through my mind as clear as day every single time I recalled that wonderful phase.

But those happy days didn't last long.

My king traced Grianne and I with great patience, and eventually we were found. He decided to forgive me honourably, and invited me back.

I couldn't decline.

The shock and horror and despair that was written on Grianne's beautiful face when I returned to my country like a true Knight, and have my king stab his royal dagger in my chest became a nightmare that haunted me always in my dreams.

I didn't know what happened to Grianne after that.

Story of Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, Knight of the Heroic Forces.