Fate/Gacha

21) Saber's Obsession

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Artoria Pov

There was a time in Britain when it was in dire need of a savior, an heir to the throne, a mighty King who would save the Kingdom from the Saxons, their King who was the incarnation of the White Dragon.

My father Uther Pendragon on Merlin's suggestion decided to marry Igraine, my mother, and using Magecraft called conceptual Fertilization he impregnated her with the concept of a Red dragon who protects the Birtain, it resulted in the birth of me, Artoria Pendragon Contrary to his expectations I was born a girl rather than a boy he wished for.

I still remember his disappointed look whenever he saw me, My father didn't care much about me, and neither did my mother who didn't love my father, My sister Morgan hated me due to the fact father declared her an adopted daughter despite the fact she was her true blood. Even if my father didn't want a girl to be his heir, he had no options.

At the tender age of five, he gave me Merlin to raise me who didn't care for the fact whether I was a boy or a girl, he believed that my gender didn't matter and I was capable of being the savior, the Heir to the throne. He entrusted me to Sir Ector, my adoptive father, my ideal of the Knight Hood.

He told his son Kay, someone whom I grew to consider a brother to me, to treat me as a boy rather than a girl which he did, Ector raised me for 10 years until I drew the Caliburn from the stone. I still remember that day when everyone has gone depressed not believing in the properchy of Merlin.

I stood in front of it ready to draw it, Merlin behind me warned me that the moment I drew the sword I won't be a human any longer, only despair would wait for me, I saw two scenes in front of me, a girl who was living her life happily like a normal girl and another holding a sword covered in blood.

I knew what kind of future was waiting for me, I was never destined to get a good end if I were to choose this thorny path, yet I couldn't stop myself, I was born for this, my father before his death finally chose me as his heir rather than Morgan before heading to his final battle with the Incarnation of White dragon, Vortigren.

The news of his death had long reached us, Britain was in dire need of a new King, so despite everything I held the sword and drew it out of the sword, I wanted my people to be happy, everyone to live happily away from despair and bloodshed, and I was ready to sacrifice my all for it.

My reason for this was that "Only a saviour can save a ruined country headed for death", Even If I were never told about it, this was my drive the reason that became one of my causes of demise.

Finally taking over the Kingdom I founded the Knights of the Round Table with me, Merlin, and Kay being the founding members, Time started passing, and more and more members joined the Round Table, and praises flowered on me, everyone considered me a perfect King.

They didn't care whether all my enemies were killed or how many civilians died in the process, As long as I ruled them, and prospered them, I was their King or so I thought. For people who feared the invasion I was their savior, their King.

I followed my Oath that the King is not a human and that cannot protect people with human emotions, It wouldn't be wrong to say I had taken more lives than any Knight to exist whether it was my enemies or the villages I abandoned or people I punished. Even if it pained me to abandon all those villages, I still did it because I knew that sacrifices were needed for the Kingdom that I envisioned once.

Full of Happy people, no poverty, and no one dying because of food shortage, I followed that dream, taking all burdens, and all sins on me, I knew if I didn't make sacrifices then my Kingdom would end in despair, I made sacrifices one by one, strengthening the Kingdom and absolutely squashing the enemy forces.