tvk | ⚔ 009; [video]

[Someday I'll stop spamming you guys. But in the immortal words of Aragorn, 'it is not this day'.]

We know little of this place. That much is obvious; we don't understand the Shadows, the Dark Hour, or the method and reason with which we were brought here.

But I've come to realize something--for myself and surely many of you, this place is another chance. I've been foolish, laboring under the belief that our situations back home still applied. Hiding behind my class name, allowing my former Master's words to affect me so severely...I was quite an idiot until recently. The normal rules no longer apply. Restrictions and standards we may have been held to before our arrival are nearly all meaningless now, and even those of us that were adversaries may as well be on the same side against the machinations of the Shadows and the world itself.

[Lancer reached up and took off his glasses to set them aside, gold eyes steady and calm.]

I don't understand how I arrived, but I know now why I am here--to accept this chance and live for myself. To do what I think is right rather than follow orders I don't believe in. Not live in service to another, and no longer live as less than who I am. And with this chance I am discarding the name of 'Lancer' as well as the position of Servant it implies.

[He took a deep breath, gaze fixed on the camera while he spoke in a determined, even tone.]

My name is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, first knight of the Fianna once led by Fionn mac Cumhaill. I lived in Ireland at least two thousand years ago, eloped across the country with a woman named Gráinne, and eventually died at the age of twenty-five.

[Still as calm as when he began, Lancer spoke something as absurd and yet so simple as those plain facts.]

[Mainly because a) Gilgamesh pretty much wrecked all semblance of secrecy anyway and b) the Lawful Neutral guy just stopped giving a fuck.]

If you should think I'm utterly mad for such declarations? I really can't blame you. But after all that's happened, after the realization I've finally reached...I really don't care. Call me insane or deluded if you will. It won't be the worst insult I've had thrown at me, I assure you.

...Forgive me, I've already spoken far longer than I planned to. If you've listened at all, I appreciate the sentiment. I'm not even certain of what I hoped to accomplish with this. I've...spoken far more candidly in recent days than I ever thought I could. All I know for sure is that this could be my final chance at living. I will not spend it as a Servant.

If this life ends in failure, it will fail due to my own choices rather than circumstances I was forced into. And if it doesn't fail at all, then I imagine that's the best I could ask for.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

True. Me? I guess I'm just treating it like a vacation... even though I've got to work during it. Guess it's not all that much of a vacation after all, huh?

[Icon expression comin' into play right about here.]

Lemme guess. That Gilgasomething fella, right?

Things could always be worse.

[Right back at ya.]

Gilgamesh, yes. He was the most obvious one I had in mind.

True! Really, things are so peaceful twenty-four out of twenty-five times that I shouldn't complain.

...As for that guy, it's weird. I've noticed that he can say something intelligent and profound one moment, but it's hard to catch -- being in the middle of a torrent of self-love and arrogance. Has he always been that way?

Honestly, I didn't know him very well before coming here. But arrogant or not, Gilgamesh was still a king of quite some notoriety. I assume he would have been known more as a tyrant if he was constantly so self-centered.

I admit: I looked him up in the library after he'd announced his name, station, all that. Guess I'll have to do the same for "Diarmuid Ua Duibh-- actually.

[Hello, guilt.]

...When I think about it, that's kinda like prying, isn't it?

[He actually smiled faintly at that, laughing to himself.]

I would not have given my name if I hadn't expected as such. For people like myself and Gilgamesh, the revelation of one's identity implies both ally and enemy could easily know of our pasts and any possible weaknesses.

In short, I don't particularly mind.

Still, now that I think about it, it feels like the sort of thing I should have asked about first.

Then again, I'm sure his reaction would have been;

[And now a woman with a petite, almost mousy voice attempts to imitate Gilgamesh. Enjoy, Diarmuid.] "But of course, all you mongrels should educate yourselves on the glory that is your forefather, your most ancient predecessor!"

[>mfw]

...Yes, I think that's more or less exactly what he would have said.

[She sees that face. It amuses her.]

How was my inflection? I don't think it was too far off, myself.

I think it was excellent, in fact.

I'd think about asking for his opinion on it if, "mongrels shouldn't dare imitate the king!" wasn't a very likely outcome.

[No mimicry this time, just air-quotes.]

I'm starting to think you might know him too well, Devola.

Only what he's let us know. There's probably something beyond the arrogance and the ego, but it's something he alone knows and he wants to keep it that way.

Assuming he's not just a shallow tyrant, anyway.

I can not call him harmless by any means, but if nothing else I want to have faith that the 'King of Heroes' should have some shred of decency.

Well, he's a hero, right? Even by the standards of his time, that means he's someone people would aspire to be. S'gotta count for something...

So, what about your legend? Getting it straight from the source seems so much better than just nosing about in a book -- unless you'd rather not, that is.

He's cruel, but not a mad tyrant. That much is safe to say.

Mine? Oh, it's really not much of a story. I might bore you half to death with it.

Please. They remember you two thousand years later. Boring someone half to death would be telling you about the story I was watching happen before my eyes before I got here.

I guess we could bore each other to death, if you really want. I mean, I've never been in a suicide pact before, but share and share alike.

There's nothing too special about it--there were several other knights of my country with more substantial tales.

The main part of my own, from what I've seen in this era, amounts to how the woman betrothed to Fionn fell in love with me and we eloped while being chased by most if not all of the Fianna for several months.

Hmm. Forbidden love, danger, excitement. Yeah. I can see why it weathered the years.

Could also be 'cause you're a lot more humble than your counterparts. That doesn't hurt. [grin tease etc.]

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