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No title.
(2013-03-27 - 2013-04-16)
No description.
Artemis Eurus As promised, at the crack of dawn Artemis was already up, changed, had breakfast, and brewed a pot of tea. If Ramza were awake, she would have poured him the best damn cup of tea he would /ever/ have. Except of of course, every cup following that made by Artemis. She is an artist of tea and war.

She would move outside then, falling into her forms with the ease of long practice, dressed not in her armor but simple, loose clothes that would not get in her way or restrain her movements. The warrior begins with Circle of the Tiger, doing her unarmed forms first. They are many, and they are deadly. Her punches are strong and quick, her kicks powerful and flexible, her footwork incredibly precise. She flows like water in a river around the bends and turns of the forms, letting out a soft kia when appropriate.

It is a beautiful, deadly dance, and it would likely be clear to Ramza that Artemis had dedicated her life to this--that she did this every day without fail.

She finishes Statute of the Crane then takes a deep breath, looking out toward the sun as it colors the horizon.
Ramza Beoulve He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.

So when morning came, Ramza was almost tempted to refuse coming with her in the morning when she went to practice her forms.

Almost.

Ramza was nothing if not dedicated to those who decided to follow him, and it was never in any real doubt that he'd be coming with her. Thankfully long years of campaigning and command had made him accustomed to not receiving adequate sleep prior to a battle, it hardly affected him anymore.

Her cup of tea also did wonders towards clearing the fog in his mind.

When she had asked him for recommendations on a suitable location, he'd suggested the Crossroads. It was a favorite place of his during his long walks alone. He mused to himself that trying to find time alone was going to be much harder, so for now he might as well just grin and bear the treatment that this woman was giving him.

He was also half convinced she'd smother him with a pillow if he tried to do that on her watch.

And so he'd led the pair off just out of sight of the road to the South. While that area made people feel ill at ease, it at least allowed him to overcome some of the fatigue that he felt in his state of heightened awareness. Once they stopped walking, he'd turn to Artemis, regarding the woman with an thoughtful look. He didn't know her all that well yet, and it occurred to him, with some amusement that it was entirely possible that she was an assassin sent by the Church. She hadn't tried to kill him in the middle of the night, but he hadn't managed any sleep himself, and she might have anticipated that.

He put those thoughts aside, he trusted those in his company /implicitly/ and as he'd told Margaux, he felt that such paranoia and suspicion would ruin him. He'd allow Artemis to have those thoughts for him.

Ramza would watch her as she began her graceful but deadly dance for a spell, before he'd begin to try to copy her movements. Artemis would note that he picked up on them with remarkable alacrity, he appeared to be a prodigy when it came to picking up new skills. However, she'd dedicated her whole life to this, he'd spent all of a few minutes watching her, his movements were unrefined and certainly not as graceful or powerful; but they had a certain amount of élan to them that showed he'd had significant training in the past in unarmed combat.
Artemis Eurus Artemis looks toward Ramza, an amused smile gracing her features momentarily. She is not terribly surprised, for how green he is, Ramza is still a warrior, trained at the same academy she was. "You went to the Academy," she comments, taking a sip of water from her canteen before she brings her right leg up to the side, rising it completely over her head so that it is practically parrallel to her body, right against her ear. Yeah, go ahead and try that one Ramza.

"Was Sir Marius still an instructor while you were there?" she asks.

Not waiting for a response, she lowers her leg and repeats the stretch on the other leg, before moving into her next form, one with a great deal of drop stances. It is not likely to be one Ramza learned at the academy. This one, she learned in China.
Ramza Beoulve He'd manage a smile which might have seemed slightly bashful to the woman. He didn't seem to have a great deal of pride in regards to his past experiences. "I did."

Artemis would notice that Ramza doesn't even try to copy putting his leg up to his head. He was flexible enough that he might have made it most of the way, but he was wearing armor, and knew his limits. A strained hamstring muscle would have only made him a burden on the Braves, and healing magic or not he'd have probably still walked with a limp for a few days.

He'd pause as she mentions Marius. "For a time. There was also Ser Kasrillen, Kityana's adopted father."

He'd roll his shoulders back. "You might know her as Katyna, but that isn't her actual name. It is a name she took to try and forget what she once was."

Again, he doesn't even try to repeat the stretch with his other leg. And he wasn't sure if she'd be comfortable with him removing his armor here. He wasn't even sure if /he/ were comfortable with it.

Again, Ramza would watch her for a time, before trying to copy her stances. Artemis would notice that he appeared to be a prodigy when it came to picking up new skills and techniques. There was something about him which seemed almost /off/ there, but she might not realize it quite yet.
Artemis Eurus Artemis looks toward Ramza, smiling now. She has a nice smile, pretty. "Ah. I remember Ser Kasrillen. Heh...Kityana to Katyna isn't too much of a change," says a woman who knows a thing or two about these things. Katyna and Artemis have not a few things in common.

Artemis watches as Ramza copies her movements, shaking her head some. "You need to stretch. You do have a talent for this though," she comments. As she did, obviously. One didn't get as good as Artemis without both talent and long practice. "That's good, I won't have to worry about you /quite/ as much," she admits.

Artemis finishes her form, then turns toward Ramza. "I imagine you have questions for me. Ask them," she says, gesturing her consent.
Ramza Beoulve As he dropped into one of her stances, attempting to mimic it, he'd remain frozen in it for a time as if contemplating her question. "No, I suppose not, but to her the name represents /power/. And Kityana represents memories of weakness. She does not yet realize that such memories are what give her strength, and that it is meaningless to seek out power for its own sake."

The young man would nod to her. "You're right. I suppose I'm just too used to having to make do without a warmup. You wouldn't believe how many times I've been ambushed."

He half expected her to give him a deadpan look at that comment. She probably /would/ believe it. Then the thought occurred to him that that was the absolute worst thing he could have said, as it meant that she'd probably tighten the reins even further just after she'd stated to him that she wouldn't have to worry about him quite as much.

When she asks about his questions to her, he'd actually take his time to consider it. "I hadn't actually thought about it. I respect the privacy of those in my company."

It made it all the more gratifying when they chose to share their secrets with him freely. It strengthened their bond of comraderie. "But since you've given me your blessing.. Tell me more about your brother. Did he only begin to change when he dedicated himself to the Church of Glabados, or did you notice them earlier?"
Artemis Eurus Fair enough question, though she is surprised it is his first one. Most would ask about the mask. Neither were easy to speak about.

Artemis picks up her blade now and begins practicing her sword forms. Easier to speak with a blade in her hand. "It was only after he joined the Church, yes. He was very secretive about what happened there...but once he went for his test to become a Templar...he came back changed," she tells him, her voice quite and level, but distant. A necessary distance.

"Louis had been...he was a good man, but he'd always had an ego. And why shouldn't he, he was a peerless warrior and he worked hard for it--but there was....darkness in him, I suppose. Something...strange in the eyes," she says, shaking her head before she executes a few brutal cuts to the air in rapid succession, twirling and reversing her grip to then run her invisible opponent through, followed by a twist of the blade. A killing move, most certainly.

At the end of her form she sheaths her sword then walks toward her canteen for more water, taking a few gulps before she tosses it to Ramza. "It has been two years you realize. I had heard nothing else odd about the Church...but then I heard what you had encountered..."

"What is your plan Ramza?" she asks then, turning her intense gaze to focus upon him.
Ramza Beoulve It may have been a thought that occurred to him, but it would never be his first question. Ramza was nothing if not polite, and he never attempted to call attention to a Lady's clothing or mannerisms.

Alma had taught him time after time that it was not a wise policy.

Withdrawing his Cinqueda, /Grass/, he attempts to duplicate her forms. It might have seemed strange to her, given that a Cinqueda is more a thrusting short sword than a slashing long blade like the Katana. He was in fact, currently carrying a sheathed Katana, but he wasn't even making an attempt to emulate her by drawing it. While it was awkward for him to use a thrusting blade in that manner, he seemed to be doing a passable job of it. He lets her finish her conversation about her brother entirely, and unfortunately the tale hit home with him.

Delita had been like a brother to him, and when he returned from the dead, he had become a stranger to him, a cheerless cynic in the Church's employ. Ramza had no idea whether he should continue to love the man as a brother, to be wary of his intentions for him, or to hate him for tainting Tietra's memory with his current actions.

He'd catch the canteen from her and take a few sips. And now the blunt question on what he planned. A rough one, but he decided that honesty was the best policy. "I'm employing various specialists in order to seek out the Auracite emblazoned with the houses of the Night Sky. When we find them, you can rest assured that the Church will make an attempt at them as well. We were initially successful against the first man that wielded the power of the Netherworld against us, but the Heartless have... complicated matters."

Once he was finished drinking, he'd toss it back to her. "If the Church sends anyone that isn't wielding Auracite, then conventional strategy will win the day, against Auracite we will need a deterrant to dampen some of its power. I intend to hire the mercenary Angantyr Vespar to solve that problem for me by procuring Nethicite for me. It is a weapon used by the warmongering Archadian Empire."

And then he'd give her a sort of impish smile. "And once we have it, I'd be very fond of the idea of teaching New Ivalice that harnessing the power of magical stones of legend is not a wise policy. I imagine he'll be quite willing to help me with that."

He'd then shrug his shoulders. "At that point, I intend to begin a campaign to recover the Auracite they possess. I'll be contacting the young man known as Sora to see if he can aid me in the disposal of these stones. If we can't destroy them, then we'll have to find a means to lock them away in a place where the Church can never find them. Once the Lucavi have been thwarted, it will make it an uncomplicated matter to hobble the beast and bring it low."

He'd be scratching the back of his neck then, as if the next part seemed very strange to him. "I'm not sure if I want to destroy the Church utterly, or how I intend to reveal its deceptions to its worshippers. Presuming that we survived that long, I would begin to look into restoring darkened areas of Ivalice, and begin another campaign against the other militant Empires that threaten this composite of worlds, but those are considerations for the distant future."
Artemis Eurus Artemis listens carefully to his plan, nodding every now and then to show her understanding. Auracite, interesting. "Angantyr Vespar," she says, trying the name out on her tongue. She nods approvingly. "That's a good name," she comments, then motions for Ramza to continue.

Art places a hand on her hip, taking a deep breath. "I would not destroy the church. Most people need a religion. It has become corrupt, much like the nobility--but just because the ruling class is corrupt does not mean anarchy is the answer."

Artemis begins to pace then, sort of walking a circle around Ramza like a predator circling her prey. "I think...I think maybe my brother has one of those stones you speak of. I can't think why he would have changed so suddenly otherwise. Why her would---do what he did."
Ramza Beoulve The younger man would nod, and begin to circle her in time with her, weighing and measuring her with his watchful gaze. His Cinqueda was kept at a casual, low guard. "Everything they teach about Saint Ajora Glabados is a lie. And yet, I cannot refute your point. If I were to expose the Church, it is likely that the civilians would think that I speak false. And if the commonfolk did believe me? That is actually the more frightening possibility. I don't want a second haphazard uprising like the Corpse Brigade, countless innocents would be harmed by it, and I don't want to profit off their suffering."

He considers what she says about her brother, mulling over the possibility while waiting for her to strike. "I can't discount the possibility M'lady. The temptation of a Lucavi would be difficult for any man to resist, while I carried a pair of the stones they remained quiescent, and I know naught on why they didn't choose to speak to me. It is not something I like to dwell on overlong."
Artemis Eurus Artemis smiles now, as it seems they will spar. Good, she was so hoping for a bout while they chatted. She throws a quick horizontal slash low, testing his speed and strength.

"So you are not a believer then, heh. Nor am I...not of this god anyway. There are others I feel more akin to," she explains. "But yes, the people need religion."

"I imagine the stones did not speak to you because they could find no purchase in your heart. Perhaps there was no lust there," she remarks with a small smile.
Ramza Beoulve The Young man watches the test swing, and didn't even try to bat it away with a parry. It was a feint anyhow, a test, and he realized it. "No, I am a believer in Holy Faram. I just don't believe that their teachings are his own. They're a corrupted mockery of what they were in days of auld. I'll show you why this is soon enough"

Another pause as he waited for her to swing again, before continuing. His voice was steeped in humility, he obviously didn't believe he was above temptation. "Perhaps. Or perhaps they're more insidious than I thought. Either way, I'd prefer to be careful in the handling of such objects. Otherwise, the consequences could be more dire than we realize."

He'd wait for her next swing, and no matter what it was, he'd try to work his way into her guard. Her blade and reach was far longer after all. Once he'd moved in, he'd try to use the shorter blade as sort of a parrying knife, to keep it at bay, while using his off hand to swing various blows her way with his fist. His blows, while quick, did not seem all that powerful to the armored woman. However, if even one found purchase, she'd realize that there was more power in the blows than there should have been in his smaller frame. Still, he was obviously pulling those punches, as this was a friendly spar.
Artemis Eurus The masked woman's smile grows. "I'm unsure if I should be sparring you with a naked blade....and me, with no armor," she says, her tone obviously playful.

Then she comes in quick, another low feint, then coming in high to try to slap him in the chest with the flat of her katana.

As he tries to get inside her guard, well, she just lets him, for when she sees that fist approaching she lets go of her katana with one hand to grab Ramza's wrist before he can connect and twist, digging her strong fingers into the tender flesh--and pressure points in his wrist before she brings her other hand up and slaps him in the head with the flat of her blade before disengaging.

"Do you still have these objects? And please, call me Artemis. I grow tired of m'lady again already."
Ramza Beoulve He returned her smile with a playful grin. "Arrogance does not suit you M'lady. Even if it is warranted against a young pup like myself."

As she grabs his wrist midswing, he'd reverse his sword instinctually, trying to drive the pommel into her arm to try and force her to release him. Its obvious that he's not even /trying/ to aim the edge or the tip her way, and she'd note that he's extraordinarily careful with it. Simultaneously he'd direct himself low, as if he were anticipating another blow with her sword. While he's caught, its obvious that his mind is still anticipating a followup move. That way, he turns her embarassing swordslap into a glancing blow at best.

When she let go, he'd take a short hop backwards, massaging his bruised wrist. "As you say then, Artemis. And I do not..."

The young man is quiet for a time, and Artemis would note visible regret in his eyes. "I had given them to my sister, Alma, to hold while we dove into the fray. I told her that if the battle turned against us that she was to run, and throw them into the sea. During the battle she fell into darkness, I haven't seen her since."
Artemis Eurus He is a pup, but he is a pup who has been trained well. He has at least been blooded, more than many a so-called warrior. Artemis smiles, not letting him smack her with the pommel, twisting his wrist and hers to escape that before she lets him go.

She pauses when he does not come in again for an attack, nor even assume a defensive stance. Ah...a sister, and she has been lost to the darkness. She has seen what happens to the people who fall. She has killed her share of Heartless. Artemis frowns and bows her head for a moment. "I will not placate you by telling you it will all be alright, but I am sorry for your loss. She is not the only one to become lost. Perhaps there will be a way to bring all those who were lost back--after all if it is lost, it can theoretically be found."

"Do you wish to continue? If so I wonder if it might be better if we forgo the swords in favor of hand to hand."
Ramza Beoulve He would give her a sheepish grin. Obviously he's not arrogant, and it doesn't bother him terribly that she's whipping him so hard.

When she brings up her version of condolences for his sister, the grin would fade. "I'm a more pragmatic man than you realize, Artemis. Even so, I won't cease looking for her. I would never forgive myself if I did aught else."

When she states that, he'd shrug his shoulders, sheathing his Cinqueda. "At your preference. My grief does not rule me, and this exercise is good for us both."
Artemis Eurus Artemis sheaths her blade, removing it from her side and placing it down gently. "Pragmatic. I seems you are mostly only a fool when it comes to your own safety then," she teases, moving toward him.

"My blade is only steel. I do not want to damage it in a spar. If we are to spar with swords I will acquire us some wooden replacements," she replies, moving into a crane stance as if she could stay that way all day.

"So tell me then, about your companions. I spoke some with Katyna. We had a bout, though she was very drunk at the time, more on self-pity than alcohol. What is it she did that she so loathes herself for? If I am to travel with her I should know."
Ramza Beoulve As she teases him, he would actually respond in a rather serious tone of voice. "I don't value my life as highly as you, Artemis. It is not in me to stand idly by and let anyone suffer and die in my name. Even you. If I were to die tomorrow, then someone else in the Braves would take up my role, and life would move on without me."

Artemis would note that he seemed to seriously believe that. He really didn't place the value of his own life above anyone who travelled with him.

He'd nod as she mentions the sword replacements, and then he'd move into a deceptively casual stance as he stood with his side facing her. One arm raised high, the other low in a guard meant to cover him and make him a smaller target. "She was a spy for the individuals who rule over the Heartless, known as the Shadow Lords. Initially she was captured by one of them when Ivalice fell, but grew to love him as a Father. She swore to serve them, and was sent as a spy against an organization of gallant women known as VALKYRI. When the time came for her betrayal, she carried it out, capturing their leader Avira and dragging her into the Netherworld. According to what I've heard, she then felt remorse for what she'd done, and went with the group that extracted her. When I found her, she was stumbling into my encampment, half-dead from exposure and constant attacks by the Heartless nipping at her heels. I recognized her as Kityana, from my time at the Academy."

Another pause, as if he were anticipating her thoughts. "It is not in me to leave a friend behind, even one who had committed such atrocities. I believe she is sincere in her desire for redemption, and I recognize the risks in keeping her among us."
Artemis Eurus Artemis will lecture once this story is told. Not even lecture so much as discuss. He is entitled to his opinion, and she would argue hers.

She listens then, coming in to throw a few punches and kicks that do not have much weight behind them, light sparring as they talk. It is good to multitask. Battles are very distracting things. Your body needed to know what it was doing, even if your mind was far away.

On the contrary, she is thinking no such thing. Indeed, she raises an eyebrow beneath her mask. "Is that all?" she asks. No one was even dead. "I suppose she is an oathbreaker then..." she muses, shaking her head. "Oh yes, she wants redemption. She will have to learn to accept what she is first," Artemis comments, chambering as if to throw a side kick, instead coming down to try to sweep Ramza's leg quickly.

"Tch...you judge me quickly Ramza," she remarks. "You think I would have told you to leave her behind? That your self-preservation is all that is important? Quickly and harshly," she says, shaking her head.
Ramza Beoulve He wouldn't actually try to parry any blows, or counter them at first. He just allowed her to put him through the paces. He was watching her always though, not just her hands or legs, but he still kept the focus on her eyes, as if he could try to anticipate what she was doing by merely looking for tell-tale signs.

He was taking no risks whatsoever at first, until she threw a kick. At that moment, he'd twist his stance around putting his back foot forward to narrowly avoid the sidekick, before hopping over the follow up sweep. He then began to press her with a flurry of punches. She'd note that he didn't seem to use his legs all that often, possibly because he was armored and it made it more difficult to throw his weight around. She'd note that he was actually copying some of her movements, incorporating them into the assault, though again they were hardly as refined as hers. "An oathbreaker? Mayhaps, but I don't hold it against anyone who is oathbound to break their vow to undo the harm they've wrought."

He'd grin sheepishly. "Can you blame me? Already most of my company has come to speak to me on this very subject, and most have suggested that I ought to leave her behind. Its a fair assumption."
Artemis Eurus "Blame? No, though I will correct you. I would not tell you to leave her behind. Indeed, a person eager to redeem themselves will make a careful guard, I hope. A staunch ally, if she can keep her mind on the task," she comments, blocking, dodging, or parrying all of his punches. Oh, her forearms take a beating, but they are strongly conditioned. She is not likely even to bruise there.

Artemis moves back then, motioning that they are done. She reaches for her water and passes it to him first.

"I must backtrack in our conversation. Do not assume that I expect you never to be in danger, nor to stand up for your beliefs or protect others. I know I can't ask that of you. I would however like to argue that life would simply...go oh, and someone else would take up your mission. That may not be so Ramza. Not everyone is a leader. Not everyone has the drive and the courage necessary...or if they do, they may lack the charisma, or the smarts, or....any of the myriad things that make your men want to follow you. In one way you are no more important than any other person, your life does not intrinsically have more value. But is the value placed on you by those who care for you not worth consideration? Do you not betray them if you put yourself needlessly into danger?" she asks, reaching back to begin to untie her hair. Now that practice is done, soon it will be time to clean up.
Ramza Beoulve And just as abruptly as the flurry began, it would end the moment she motioned for them to stop. He hadn't really tried to land treating it exactly as it was, a training exercise and a learning experience. He would accept the proferred water, and take a sip from it, before handing it back to her.

And then she backtracked, and he mulled over what she stated. "Mayhaps. Perhaps I just like to think that every life has equal value to my own. It is something that I truly believe, and I'm afraid that if I ever felt otherwise that I'd begin to judge lives as if some were worth sacrificing for a /greater good/. And while I recognize that I may have to make those decisions one day, I don't ever, /ever/, like those compromises that were worth it. I want it to weigh heavily upon me, that way I will never forget them, as the moment I stop feeling compassion for everyone else, including my enemies. It is the day I become like the enemy Artemis."

The young man would just smile at her. "We'll just have to agree to disagree. While I'll concede that I make a better leader than some of our number, I think you overestimate me. And I would also tell you this. They chose me to lead because of my principles. If I tried to change my adherence to them, then I think that would be a far greater betrayal than being a touch reckless with my own life."
Artemis Eurus Artemis takes the water and drinks it, shaking out her hair when she is finished. She packs away her water and begins to restrap her sword to her belt. "I will not disagree on that. Your principals are important, and I wouldn't have you sacrifice them. The world needs people of principal, people of goodness--and until such time that we have peace, people like me will be there to be suspicious hardasses so you don't get killed--and your principals with you," she replies, her smile a bit bitter. She turns and begins walking back the way they came, expecting he will follow.

No, Artemis does not think she is the kind of person Ramza is. Her heart is focused on her oath. It is focused on the death of the person she loved most in the world.
Ramza Beoulve He hesitates for a moment, watching her. His gaze didn't seem to be judging, in fact he looked a little disheartened as he listened to her. After a time, he must have realized how grim he seemed, as he decided to change the subject. "Artemis, while we walk back, why don't you tell me a little more about yourself? I'd like to get to know the exceptional lady who has such faith in me. No questions, as I don't tend to judge a person based on their reputation, I just want to hear your own account, without judgement on my part."
Artemis Eurus Artemis shakes her head some, a small smile appearing. "You want to know my story? You will find it fairly boring and I wouldn't know what to tell you, Ramza. I apologize if I am not the best conversationalist. Before I spoke to you last night, I do not think I had spoken more than four words at a time in two years," she informs him.

"What is to know? I went to the Academy. I excelled. I was told I was following my brother's footsteps, and my father before him. I feel in love with a man twice my age, seduced him, and had an affair that lasted years. I did not even have the chance to speak with him before I fled--when Louis killed our father. I suppose, like your sister, I hope to know what became of him," she offers with a shrug.

Artemis looks toward him, "Is this what you want to know?"
Ramza Beoulve His expression remained stoic throughout all of that, except his cheeks flushed when she mentioned the affair. Otherwise though, it was as if his face were carved out of stone.

Bright red stone.

After a time he'd speak up again. "If that is all you wanted to tell me, then it is. If ever you wish to tell me more, then I'm open to hearing it at any time. I'm sure there's more to you than that, and whether it be eloquently spoken or not, I care little. I just like to know all there is to know of the people who would follow me on this path."

Nevertheless he was silently hoping that she wouldn't tell him too many more details of her affairs. Lalalalalala.
Artemis Eurus Artemis laughs softly. "That is one of the things that makes you a good leader. A good leader knows those who follow them, makes each feel important," she replies. Perhaps in some other life she would done a great deal of grand things. Perhaps, there was still time left, but she doesn't plan for any of it.

"I spent two years traveling the world, living alone in the wildnerness. It changed me. My voice sounds strange to my ears and the Inn where we sleep seems cramped, warm, and far too quiet," she says then, a confession of sorts. She looks back to him then, amused by his red face. "What, will you not offer to warm my bed now that you've heard I've slept alone so long?" she asks, perhaps to see if his face could get anymore crimson.
Ramza Beoulve Ramza makes a sort of strangled noise, the flush of his cheeks deepening, rather than fading. He had tried to keep his expression stoic during all that she said, until the last part. And then he's coughing, as if he were choking. It takes him a moment to compose himself, closing his eyes before he answers.

His voice would take on a bashful tone as he speaks. "A..uh.. fine jape, Artemis. However, since you've been forthright with me, it brings me no shame to say that I've never even courted a Lady. I've never had any sort of /experience/ in gestures which would be far more innocent than that in your eyes."
Artemis Eurus She can't possibly help it. She laughs, good and bright and long. Her posture changes, loosening up as she moves, her laughs shaking some of the dust from her it would seem. "Ah, I mean no offense Ser Ramza, but it is rather funny to me. You drink milk in bars and have never courted a lady. By all the gods, the temptation is almost too much. A virgin in command, oh what soldiers would say," she teases, good-natured. "What a whore I must seem to you," she goes on, laughing still.
Ramza Beoulve The flush actually fades from his cheeks, as he arches an eyebrow, giving her a puzzled look.

His voice sounds even more bewildered. "Why would I think that? I don't think any less of people who act and believe differently in matters of romance, just because I have no experience. Artemis, all I think of you is that you're a virtuous Lady, and while you're hard upon your allies, that serves a commendable purpose. Anything else? Its not even worth consideration in my opinion."
Artemis Eurus Artemis is hard upon her allies, maybe, but she is hardest on herself.

"Well then you are a rare person from our world Ramza. I think as you do. I have had little care for what society wanted of me. I have desires I aim to fulfill," she says with a shrug.

Still his face is fading and that will not do. Artemis turns toward him slightly, changing her walk to sway her hips more deliberatly, giving him a bold and smoldering sort of look. "Depends on your virtues...."
Ramza Beoulve And now he's blushing again. She's good at getting a bit of color and heat to show in his cheeks.

After a time he speaks in an even, measured tone. "Virtue is a funny thing, but I don't consider one's choices in their love life to factor into it. I'm not sure I'd call myself exactly /prudish/, but I don't think its wise of me to speak on subjects I know so little about. As it stands, I don't think it would be particularly fair of me to court anyone. Given the life I lead, I couldn't devote myself to anyone as well as I ought to."
Artemis Eurus Ah, well, Artemis could pull out the big guns, but she decided it would be better to wait for maximum amusement. After all, they just met!

Artemis laughs though, shaking her head. She almost feels a little bad for embarrassing him. Almost.

"Mmm, you are correct on that I suppose, but I could counter with the old arguement--no time like the present. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? We live in intense, bloody times. Those moments perhaps become doubly important," she replies, falling into a more casual air, more natural, not quite oozing sex appeal but certainly not pretending like she doesn't have it. Natural.

"Well, before we worry about tomorrow, we should settle today, hmm?"

 
This scene contained 33 poses. The players who were present were: Ramza Beoulve, Artemis Eurus