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| No title. |
| (2013-03-28 - 2013-04-16) |
| No description. |
| Artemis Eurus | Artemis had lost her temper. She is not proud of it. If Ramza is following, she will slow to let him catch up. She had readied herself for an assault, let the rage take her, then had no where to release it. She needed to release it or she would not be able to calm herself. Thus, when she reached a desert oasiz, she waltzed up to a palm tree and just started punching the <GOOSEHONK> out of it. This she did until her leathery knuckles bled and she was spend. She then turns and finally faces Ramza. She draws her sword and tosses it at his feet, then kneels. "Give me my honor back. I will only charge you with seeing my brother is killed so my previous oath can be fulfilled," she says, her voice calm now. |
| Katyna | Katyna had also chosen to wander out to the desert, exhausted, not just physically but emotionally as well. Her recent run-in with Faruja had left her briefly relieved, but once that feeling passed she realized she was only more confused than ever. How on earth was she supposed to maintain her friendship with Faruja and seek redemption with VALKYRIE..And at the same time stay true to Ramza and back up the Heretics? Things were just so strange, so out of sync. So many times, she wishes she could be back at VALKYRIE, having fun, being innocent, beating up heartless, but so much has changed. When Artemis happens to punch the tree she is snoozing behind (which is hopefully not a cactus), she blinks and jumps awake, glancing around as she tiredly rubs her eyes. "Huhh...Wha..?" |
| Ramza Beoulve | And so he followed, keeping a steady pace behind her. He felt his cheek continue to swell as he followed, but he didn't even try to heal it. When they reached the oasis, he'd watch her punch a palm tree repeatedly, then listened to her words of anger. When she knelt, he'd advance, and he'd lean over to pick up her sword. He'd take a few steps towards her, holding the sword by its hilt. He'd look down at her, his gaze hardening. "You were insubordinate, and struck your commanding officer..." And then all of a sudden, he'd kneel down in front of her, his expression softening. "...Thank you." He'd hold out her sword to her, hilt first, head bowed. "It was not my intent to dishonor you, but I've done so all the same. I'd ask if there was aught I could to make up for it, but that is cold comfort. I can only tell you that I'll see your vow fulfilled. I continually forget that those in my company wish to protect me just as fervently as I desire to protect them." And when he lifted his head, he saw Katyna, his expression bewildered at first, but sheepish soon after. "Uh, Lady Redsdottr. Lovely night, isn't it? How have you fared?" He'd had no idea that she was even here! |
| Artemis Eurus | Artemis ignores Katyna for now, raising her eyes to meet Ramza's for a long moment as he offers her her sword. Eventually, she takes it and sheaths it. "Ramza let me make this clear...I follow you, but this is not the military and you are not my commanding officer, nor am I yours," she says, because if they were in the military she would be his senior by a good bit. "I forget perhaps that you do not know me well yet. I apologize for striking you. I did not expect the battle to end there. I asked for Odin's fury and then I could not release it. It is like--" she stops. Nope, that metaphor won't work for him. Bloody virgins. Artemis takes a deep breath. "I will not repeat that. I am....not use to having someone around who is eager to throw himself in front of a blade for me, especially when I am suppose to be protecting him. I understand...but I can't have you thinking you need to protect me because I am your underling. We will be partners or nothing." |
| Katyna | Katyna blinks slowly, glancing up at Ramza with a sheepish smile - what's she doing sleeping out here in the middle of the desert anyway? - and shrugs. "Oh hi, Ramza. Whatcha up to? Everything okay?" She glances curiously between him and Artemis and sweatdrops, suddenly feeling like she's intruding as she hops to her feet. "Ooh, this isn't really my business, is it? I should probably skeddadle, hey?" Still...There was something she wanted to talk to Ramza about, but.. |
| Ramza Beoulve | He would actually manage a faint smile. "I know, it was a jape, and a terrible one. Mustadio always told me that I have all the sense of humor as a stone. This isn't the military, and I'm not your commander." He'd look her square in the eyes. "No, I don't understand you, but I'd like to. What /you/ don't realize yet is that I think of all of you as my friends. It is what makes drives me to protect you all so fervently, and I'd like to think its what drives all of you to do the same for me." He would close his eyes, exhaling, with a smile as he rubs his cheek. "So if you want to be my partner... I understand that all too well, and I'll try never to treat you like an underling. But again, it wasn't my intention." He'd rise then, still speaking in an even tone. "It was my intention to treat you as a friend, that's all. And I failed at that. Its my failure, not yours. I'll own up to it." He'd glance sidelong at Katyna. "Uh, Lady Redsdottr, we encountered a Dark Knight that attacked us as some sort of gruesome test. He retreated in the end, but I...erred in judgement." He'd give Artemis a briefly embarassed look, before looking back at Katyna. "No, you're welcome to stay." |
| Artemis Eurus | Artemis looks toward Katyna then, nodding to her. "No, stay," she says, then looks back to Ramza, nodding. Now that her sword is sheathed, she offers him her hand, the one she'd cut to make her oath. She no longer wears a bandage, but it is not healed. She wants to make sure it scars. "Heh...don't apologize. I think I have forgotten how to be a friend. Indeed, I'm not sure I ever knew," she replies gently. Louis had been her friend, brother, everything to her... Artemis sighs then and takes a seat. "The air is so dry. Tell me we will be moving on soon Ramza. I need trees. Real trees," she says, motioning Katyna over to join them. "Somewhere colder..." |
| Katyna | Katyna stands up straight, seeming to come to attention fully awake when Ramza mentions the Dark Knight 'testing' them. "..Wait, what? A dark knight? Is it that same guy who attacked a bunch of us back at the beach? Ughh..." She grits her teeth, clenching her fists and looking quite..Bothered by something. "What the heck is his problem?" Glancing back at Ramza, she arches a brow. "What, you put yourself in harm's way and Art moved to stop you?" She smirks, and shrugs, "Dont worry about it. Just be more careful in the future! Anyways, that guy's a problem, and I think he's after a friend of mine...He left some sort of horn behind for her.." Then Art speaks of friends and Katyna sighs wistfully, remembering the conversation she had only recently had with Faru, her dear friend. "I wonder, what the cost of friendship is..." she ponders aloud.. |
| Ramza Beoulve | He'd smile towards Artemis. "Let's learn together. It seems we'll have a great deal of time to do so, due to your /restrictions/." The whimsical tone in his voice showed that he didn't mind that at all. "And we'll be moving on soon, I promise." He'd give Katyna a puzzled look as she describes her encounter. "What, you encountered him as well? How very strange. Mayhaps he really is drawn to test people as he says..." He'd have another sheepish look as he scratched the back of his neck with his glove. "More like she was fully capable of taking care of herself and I, being the fool that I am, threw myself in the way of a blow meant for her. Nearly took my head off." He'd regard her with an inquisitive look. "Who is it that he's after? Mayhaps we can work towards protecting her." He'd take a few steps, before looking vaguely at the night sky. "The cost of friendship? True friendship? One has to give their all.. and expect nothing in return. It is not unlike true love, I imagine.." And then realizing that Artemis was still about, his cheeks would flush bright red, knowing what comment was likely to be incoming. "Not that I know anything about true love, mind you..." |
| Artemis Eurus | Artemis knows what Katyna did now. She thinks little about it. Everyone makes mistakes and she is none to judge, especially if Katyna is going to change her tune and help their mutual goal. "The cost of friendship is to trust, and know that inevitably someone will break your heart," she replies quietly. Artemis looks back to Ramza, chuckling when she sees his blush. "Perhaps you know more of it than I do," she ventures. She'd thought she'd been in love with Marius. She's not terribly sure about anything, these days. |
| Katyna | Katyna nods. "He seems interested in the light within the hearts of people. My friend Maira is a particularly pure hearted individual, and so he was somehow drawn towards the light of her heart. I wonder if he's a shadow lord or something? He's so full of darkness..I couldn't sense the slightest bit of light in him. Maybe because he's so dark, he is looking for light to balance it out.." She still remembers what Mama Odie had told them about how light and darkness resided in all of them. Did Kat still have some light remaining in herself? she was not sure, anymore, not after her encounter with him.. "ummm.." She sighs again, looking upset about something when Ramza tries to explain friendship to her. "But..How do you give your all to two people who are enemies, when doing so will force you to choose between them?" The whole comment about love went right over her head. Kat's never known any sort of love in her life, short of the few people in her brief childhood who died shortly after. Even now, that she's been ousted from VALKYRI, the young knight has felt even lonelier. When Artemis speaks of trust, she chuckles and shakes her head. She already lost the trust of all of VALKYRIE. Some friend she was. And what of Ramza and the heretics? Can they truly trust her not to betray them? She believed in Ramza, but...She also believed in Faruja. Ugh, this is so difficult.. |
| Ramza Beoulve | The young man would nod at her explanation. "I'll try to watch out for her then, whenever she is about. I've met her only in passing but she is a virtuous lady who deserves any protection we can offer her." As for the rest of it, he wouldn't draw any conclusions in regards to himself. After all, he truly believed there was nothing special about him. When Katyna spoke of two friends who are enemies, Ramza would puzzle over it for a time, before understanding dawned upon him. "You mean Ser Senra and myself." The young man would sigh at that. "Lady Redsdottr, I don't think of Ser Senra as my enemy. I have a feeling that if he knew what his church were truly up to, that we'd be the best of friends. As it stands, I'm pragmatic enough to understand that he would either try to kill me, or drag me off to the office of the Inquisition, where I'd then be executed after many long days of torture. I hate the Church all the more for using good men like Ser Senra as their pawn, but I don't know what can be done to sway him. He wouldn't believe aught that I had to say." As for love, the comment may have gone over her head, but it wasn't as if Ramza had any experience with love either. The comment seemed to be mostly directed at the sultry teasing from the other woman. |
| Katyna | Aah, he does understand. Kat's relieved to hear that and she smiles faintly at Ramza. "Faruja is a good person. I think there are lots of good people in the church. That's why..I dont wanna raise my sword against the church. but I DO want to find those corrupted individuals in the church that are trying to destroy innocents..." It's a tough call, especially after what Faruja told her. "Faru...After I told him what I'd done as a Shadow Lord's servant, he forgave me, and wanted to help me redeem myself...With Faram's help, but...If I am against the church by allying with the Heretics, doesnt that make me against Faram too? Does that mean my sins will never be forgiven?" Still, she frowns when Ramza talks of being killed and what not, shaking her head fervently. "Ser Ramza, if nothing else, I will always act as your shield, as you did for me against Angantyr. I owe you that much at least.." |
| Ramza Beoulve | Ramza would actually sigh, rubbing one of his temples with a single hand. "I know. Unfortunately M'lady, I don't think I can convince him without a fight. I /don't/ want to hurt him, and I would try my best to make certain that there are no innocent casualties within the Church, but that could never be a guarantee. I'd prefer to convince him that I'm /right/." Tilting his head to the side, he'd smile at her. "That certainly sounds like him. But M'lady, you have to understand this. Holy Faram may exist, but the Church is /not/ his will. If you do live virtuously for the rest of your days, and do what you know is right, then there's no reason why you should think he wouldn't forgive you." Walking over to Katyna, he'd take her hand, kneeling down before her. "M'lady, you owe me nothing. All I wish to do is be your friend, naught else. Any obligation you feel that you have to my cause, I release you from it. If you wish to stay with me out of your own free will, then I'll gladly accept you. If you wish to walk another path, then know that I will always think of you as a friend, so long as you strive towards redemption." |
| Artemis Eurus | Has slipped off to give Ramza and Katyna some privacy...probably beating up more trees for fun. |
| Katyna | Katyna nods slowly. "I guess you're right. sometimes it's just hard to separate god from the church, y'know? It's like, the church is the intermediary between us earthlings and the heavens above.." She frowns a bit as she reaches for her rosary, rubbing it between her fingers. "Ser Kasrillen gave me this, he wanted me to be a devout follower. But..He never betrayed the church, even as he believed in you." She smiles sadly, "I sometimes like to think that Lord Fessner made my body stronger, but Ser Kasrillen made my heart stronger. I..Want to follow in Kasrillen's footsteps. So, I wont attack the church, but I WILL get to the truth of the matter." Her smile broadens as Ramza speaks of being her friend, "I want to be your friend too! I just hope I dont cave in and betray you because of my weakness..." Kat pouts a bit at that. "I dont ever wanna betray my friends again because I'm too scared.." |
| Ramza Beoulve | Ramza would stand up, tossling Katyna's hair briefly, with a smile. "Do you think there's a church in whatever paradise that Ser Kasrillen dwells in? No, I'd prefer to think that living in the presence of the divine would be enough for him. Trust in /god/ M'lady. The Church is an institution ruled over by men. Imperfect men. Corrupt men. There are many good men in the Church who perform good works, but in the end, its not the godly institution that it ought to be. If you'd like, I can prove it to you. I have a book that will tell you how the Church was truly founded." He'd wrap his arms around her, drawing her into a friendly hug. "You already are following in his footsteps M'lady, so long as you do the right thing, then you are the daughter he always wanted, the daughter he deserves. I know he'll be proud of you, so long as you continue on your path for redemption." A moment later, he'd draw back, his hands sliding up to her shoulders instead as he took a step back, looking her in the eyes. "Weakness? M'lady, you should realize something about me. I'm a weak man, with many flaws. My strength has always been my belief in my friends. So long as I'm with them, I am strong enough to live up to my Father's memory. So from one friend to another, know this..." He'd smile broadly. "...I believe in you. And I /know/ you won't betray us." |
| Katyna | Katyna smiles a bit, reassured by his words. "Thank you, Ser Ramza. You truly are a kind person. I suppose you are right. Faram is what is important, not the institution who teaches us about him." she nods. It makes a bit of sense. "Maybe it's just a test..Heey, I can do this. Can I see the book? I'll bet it's quite a read!" Right now, she could do with more reading and less action, although she's not expecting the hug. "Eh..." It's not often she gets hugs except from Reize and she smiles a little, hugging him back. "Thanks for the confidence! I guess a lot of people, like that dark knight, think there's still too much darkness in me, but...I'm trying, I'll try extra hard!" When he speaks of weakness, she just makes a face, "Hey, what are you saying? You're one of the strongest people I know! So far, you're a real inspiration to me, standing up against the church like that takes serious guts afterall! But thanks for believing in me...I wont let you down!" |
| Ramza Beoulve | He would nod to her. "Of course you can see it. I'll let you read it with me one day in the near future." He'd chuckle, sheepishly rubbing a hand against the back of his neck. "I guess I should tell you now though, so it doesn't shock you overmuch, but Artemis stays close to me at all times, now /at all times/. She refuses to take her repose anywhere else, as she feels I won't be safe unless she is around me at all times. I've tried to offer her the bed while I'd sleep on the floor, but she refuses and will only sleep by the door. " He'd /ahem/. "Please don't think anything is implied by it, or consider it that strange of an arrangement. She's just.. quite dedicated to what she regards as her duty." And now on the Dark Knight again, his smile would fade. "Don't read into anything that he says or does. The man's grisly examination is some sort of sick jape." He'd give her a smile once again when she speaks of weakness. "No, no M'lady. There's absolutely nothing special about me that seperates me from anyone else. I'm just a man trying to do what he believes is right, nothing more. I'm no inspiration nor hero to anyone. And my /weakness/? Well I don't consider it to be a weakness." A pause, as he walked away a pace, looking up once again at the night sky. "Remember what I said, Kityana? If I was so strong that I felt I didn't need my friends, then what sort of man would I be? There'd be little difference between me and the vile men that rule over the Church. My friends are my strength, and if I must accept that I am weak without them, then it is a small price to pay." |
| Katyna | Katyna beams. "Yay! I look forward to reading it then!" she peers at him curiously however, when he describes how Artemis stays so close by his sid at all times. "Well, I guess she's just very serious and dedicated about her work...Or maybe.." She grins. "She's got the hots for you! I guess, I dunno her very well yet, but she means well..Even if she can be a bit..Extreme at times. But everyone here is determined to keep you safe. Afterall, you're a very important person with a very important message to tell the world..That takes a lot of guts to do what you're doing afterall.." Her smile fades a bit when he talks of having weakness, of relying on friends. "Hmmm...I once thought that I could find my own strength in the darkness...But...In the end, it just drove people away from me. Stil, I dunno if it's okay to rely on others. You never know when they'll stop being there for you, either willingly..Or unwillingly." Of course she's talking about death. How can anyone prevent others from dying when the time comes , one way or the other? |
| Ramza Beoulve | He'd only smile at her, until she mentioned that Artemis has the /hots/ for him. Then he'd begin to flush bright red, his tone of voice became quite bashful. "M'lady, no! It isn't like that. We've known each other for such a short time, and there's no courtship between us." He'd run a hand over his face in embarassment. "I've never courted a lady, even briefly. Even simple things like a /kiss/ are gestures that I'm not acquainted with. I certainly wouldn't consider myself her type as she's..." For a moment there he considered saying /experienced/, but that sounded impolite no matter how he put it, he decided to change the subject. A polite /ahem/ before he tried to compose himself. "I'm not anyone important or special, if I died tomorrow, life would move on without me. I'm just a man trying to do what's right. Countless people do the same thing every day." When the discussion moves on to something that's a bit more macabre, Ramza's smile and bashfulness would fade away. "There's nothing wrong with relying on others, M'lady. And even if they are taken from you before their time..." He'd gesture to her rosary. "..They still remain with you..." |