Chapter 131 : Frienship

February 2, 2021 - Day 7

Alessandro had just returned to his apartment that morning. There was only Saber in casual clothes who was reading the Epic of Gilgamesh, Friedrich and Specter had gone out to meet Dorian Benard, and so Alessandro was alone with his Servant.
« How's it going, Saber? »
« I finished the book on Napoleon and now I'm reading this. I know that some passed it on orally, in Syria and Egypt, I didn't know that there was a written version of this poem. »
« I've something for you, consider it a gift of reconciliation. »
« What's that? » Saber asked curiously.
« Your imprint. This text is recognized worldwide and is loved by practically everyone. »
Alessandro took a book out of a plastic bag, showed it to Saber and said:
« The Commentarii de bello Gallico. »
« Where did you find it? » She asked enthusiastically.
« They sell it in bookstores, as I already told you it's a very famous book ... »
« "Gallia est omnis divided in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur.". Isn't it beautiful as an incipit? One of a kind. Wait. What's this stuff written nearby? »
« The translation for those who don't know Latin. »
Saber glanced shockedly at Alessandro and exclaimed:
« You don't speak latin ?! »
« No, but you're not either ... »
« Since when?! »
« For some time, but Saber ... you're not talking it either ... »
« And in Rome? What language do you speak? »

« Italian. »

« What the hell is "italian"? Where did latin go? Where did the mother tongue of Rome go? »
« A moment! You're asking too many questions, Saber! It's not easy to keep up ... »
« That's why you told me that this city is not Londinium but London! Barbarians! You barbarized the beautiful language of Rome! The world is over! » She exclaimed theatrically.

« Isn't this reaction a little exaggerated? No? »

« I wrote grammar books ... and for what? My precious De Analogia ... is now useless. Cicero was right, my works have been thwarted by history. This is a nightmare! I can't believe I will have to give it to Cicero! »

« Sa-Saber ... uhm ... you know ... »

« But do you know what it means for me to agree with Cicero? It means questioning my dignitas! Dignitas! Do you know what it means? Stultus! Obviously you don't know! Nobody will ever know because nobody has ever had to endure Cicero's long and endless speeches! »

« Saber, you're exaggerating a bit, don't you think? And then you don't speak latin either, haven't you noticed? »

« Huh? » Saber stopped and looked at Alessandro with two incredulous eyes.

« You're not speaking latin. »

« No ... »

« Yes. »

« No. »

« Look, if no one speaks latin and if you are the only one who speaks it then why does everyone understand you? Maybe ... MAYBE you don't speak latin. »

« Oh ... » Saber realized that Alessandro was indeed right.

« See? Easy peasy lemon squeezy. »

« Oh dear me ... »

« Saber? »

« Oh, Venus, what happened to my fluid latin? What have you done? »
« Er ... I don't know. I don't know how these things work, but you aren't speaking

latin. »
« I need something nice. » She leafed through the book hastily: « "Caesar exposito exercitu et loco castris idoneo capto, ubi ex captivis cognovit quo in loco hostium copiae consedissent, cohortibus decem ad mare relictis et equitibus trecentis, qui praesidio navibus essent, de tertia vigilia ad hostes contendit ..." »
« Okay, I understand! Sorry if I don't speak latin. »
« No, don't worry, I forgive you. I've seen worse in my life. » She said closing the book.
« What have you seen worse? »
« The face of Ariovistus. »
Alessandro then approached Saber and with a more serious expression asked her:
« Tell me one thing: what do you think of Specter? I saw that you made friends. »
« Why do you ask? » She asked, perplexed.
« I want to be sure that you care about this alliance as much as I do. I don't want to fight Friedrich, that's all. »
The boy walked away leaving Saber with that unsatisfactory explanation. She took him by the wrist, Alessandro turned around.
« Did I say something wrong? »
« What do you find in Friedrich so important? Why do you care to be his friend? »
« I already told you: I know he understands me. I feel it. There's nothing more. »

« This gift ...» Saber showed the book and then threw it on the floor: « It doesn't matter if you keep treating me like a stranger. I tell you all about me but you don't tell me anything about yourself. You don't make me share in your emotions. »
« Do you want some latin? » He asked, annoyed: « Here's your latin: firmissima est inter pares amicitia. Give it a reason. The friendship between two similar people is the strongest and easiest. You are a Servant, you're here today, but when the war ends ... you will no longer be with me. Tying myself to you could cause me unnecessary pain, and I don't want to suffer. I want to be happy. So leave me alone. »

« So what does the book mean? »

« I just want there to be no hatred between us. It's not asking too much, right? »

« What about friendship? »

« I'm sorry Saber. But you can't ask me to suffer again. I'm tired. »

Alessandro was about to leave.

« You're wrong. » Saber said.

« What? »

« You're wrong. You're just wrong! Bonding with someone means being ready to suffer. Suffering is part of the passion of life, one cannot live without suffering, without suffering pain, otherwise one cannot grow. Any friendship involves pain, but there is also beauty because there are unforgettable moments full of happiness. You're a boy who has certainly suffered ... I don't know ... but you cannot force yourself to stop suffering otherwise you will never grow up. » Saber exclaimed.

« You're right ... you don't know therefore you don't have the right to give your opinion on my life choices. »

Alessandro left the room. Saber knew she was right and even though Alessandro was stubborn she set herself a goal: to change Alessandro's heart.

Saber and her book by Bikowolf