Fate/Vengeance Untold

The Duty of The Rider

3rd POV:

Several days have passed since Duncan and Ashley crushed Shirou's spirit. Their words echoed in his mind, day after day.

Right now Shirou was preparing dinner for Saber, yet his mind was somewhere else.

Ashley: "Think Shirou, death does not care for age, gender or belief, neither does your opponent."

Shaking his head he tried to forget those words, but Duncan did more damage on his lecture about instinct.

Duncan: "...deep within our bodies lies the hone instinct to dominate and slaughter our enemies!"

Shirou tried to deny his words, but... when he encountered Caster for the first time he thought that she had to be stopped, but Duncan let her live just on a hunch? The plan he and Rin come up to bring down Caster's master was a failure, Kuzuki was able to beat Saber and almost killed Rin, he didn't care that he was gonna kill some kids, maybe Ashley's words had more truth than Shirou knew, if he wouldn't bought some time by projecting Archer's swords until Ashley, Lancer and Avenger came to save them who knows what would have happened.

But the worst part came when Duncan mocked Shirou's ideal.

Duncan: "I won't put up with that, am i clear? I don't know about Saber or the others, but i know that you have the potential to get stronger it's just that you aren't yet and that ideal of your is gonna be the death of you and everyone around you. The only way you can make sure you won't die is to become your own king, but don't forget, the position of the king and the horse can always be switched."

What did he mean by king and his horse? How can his ideal be the death of him and everyone around him? Were the questions that run through Shirou's head.

Saber: "Shirou?" She asked concerned of her master's depressed state.

Shirou: "Huh, oh, something wrong Saber?"

Saber: "I should be the one asking that, you have been like this for the last few days, is what Duncan said still on your mind?"

She saw through him, Shirou voiced his concernes.

Shirou: "*sigh*...yeah, still, i don't think it's right."

Saber: "Hmm?" She urged him to continue.

Shirou: "That part about killer intinct, to dominate, i don't think it's right and i still don't understand what he meant  to say with that question about the king and the horse."

Saber: "It is true that is a question that   the answer isn't clear, for everyone it might seem like a silly question but..."

Shirou: "But..."

Saber: "...the true meaning behind the question, felt more like a struggle, it  was like even a small sign of weakness will bring him down and someone else will take over his own being, most likely the lifestyle he lived was one of kill or be killed."

Saber's answer brought more questions for Shirou, she is a hero from the old times, who fought in wars, but even she couldn't understand the true meaning behind Duncan's words.

So Shirou decided to confront the person who most likely knows the answer to his questions, that person being Duncan, plus he will show Duncan that his ideal is not gonna be the death of him, that everyone deserves to live.