[Smilekat]

Artoria slowly sat up in bed. It was a very strange feeling, having a body of mortal flesh and blood, rather than a magical body pulsing with the power of her legend. Excalibur was gone, she didn't even need to look around, she could feel its absence, the portion of her soul occupied with the bond to the holy sword feeling empty. She wasn't sure if she should cry at the loss or sigh at the burden relieved. Next to her in bed lay Shirou, his face peaceful in sleep. She smiled, her eyes tearing up with the joy of seeing him alive again. For a few minutes she just sat, watching him sleep, part of her wanting to embrace him and squeeze him. Ultimately she decided to let him sleep, he'd earned some rest after all the battles he'd fought at her side. Rising from the bed her body felt different, taller certainly, but also bulkier, her shoulders seemed a little wide and her chest felt unusually heavy. Still she could still feel the muscles in her arms and legs, the balance and grace and athleticism she'd possesed all her life, so she wasn't to worried. She was, as she'd been told, older, her true age, having lost excaliburs gift of youth. She decided to examine her body in more detail later, for now she wanted to look around the house, to see more of what had changed as a result of her wish. She silently exited the room, leaving Shirou to slumber, and crept down the hall. She saw the doors to the houses guest rooms, which had in the previous time lodged various guests who had stayed with them during the war, and she decided to see if they were still occupied, choosing teh first door she slid it open and stepped inside.