Finis Chaldea

Do not tease her, she insisted. No... it didn't actually seem very insistent at all. Surely she meant for it to be, but that demand was spoken with a lack of firmness uncommon to this woman. Hilarious. With only a kiss, he'd put the battering ram to the first of many thick walls toward the Queen of Knights' heart. She would not escape the fate he chose for them; nothing proved that more than this very moment. Whatever the case, now was the time of their parting. Celebration would be taking place once the queen was fit to participate. Knowing that would be some time, Gilgamesh took a few additional moments to himself. After that ordeal, he had to bask in the afterglow. Time should be taken to properly burn the sight of Artoria's flustered face into his retinas. Besides, there was likely some reality in which she returned immediately after walking away, so he had to be prepared just incase. . .

No, Artoria instead took the route of actually meeting with her sister. She did so by entering the bath and sending Excalibur as a calling card to the Lake Fae, much to the surprise of the male pharaoh currently partaking in conversation with her, as well as his own wife. "Ho. Take your time, and send the regards of Ramesses to that queen. With the Moon of my Life here, I have no need of your premature return," the man stated. The Lady Vivian had no need to rush back to their conversation; he would just as soon sit through the whole of the festivities speaking only to his wife. Of course, throughout their casual banter, Ozymandias did determine that the Lady of the Lake was no less reasonable as company than her apparent sisters were.

Gilgamesh would have a few moments to himself, and Ozymandias sent his regards. A chuckle escaped the woman at his side with those almost rainbow eyes after the appearance of Excalibur in the hands of another individual. She nearly scoffed upon seeing it, given what the Queen of Knights was like. "I am surprised. I figured she would not part with that weapon for anything in the world~" she mused as the Lake Fae disappeared to see her sister, giving a nod to their regards. Soon after, she looked to her husband the Sun King and had but a few words to share. "My Sun and Stars, we both know I will be joining them shortly. I could not let the Queen of Knights appear at her own party without a look fit for the level of Queen she has become~" she mused. There was excitement in her eyes, she'd be designing soon enough.

"Calm down Eri. The Sun King sends his regards, so does the lovely wife, who will be with us in a bit..." she mentioned with a casual shrug. Artoria for her part in this was now pacing back and forth in front of the tub, the sword in her hand as she couldn't calm herself down. "I do enjoy the Pharaohs, but I cannot think about that. Rie, is it sorcery, is that why my body betrays me?!" she questioned. Artoria was grasping at straws for an explanation for why she was moved by the King of Heroes now when she felt nothing for anyone before now. Her elder sister, known to most currently as Vivian could only laugh at the notion. "It is hardly sorcery, more like biology. A hot guy likes you... it is normal to feel something in response..." she explained to her sister. "This wouldn't be a problem if you'd been more honest about the fact that you didn't have feelings at all. I thought you were only crushing your emotions, you're making this more difficult than it has to be..." her elder sister gave sound advice as she always would. Even in the face of the pacing Artoria. "That is easy for you to say. You do not understand. My body reacted of its own accord and then he had the absolute and unmitigated gall to look smug about it! I hate him!" Artoria was outraged again and it took all Vivian had to avoid laughing given what the girl was like when she felt murderous. "Little Sister, you do not hate him. You hate that he is smug, but the good ones usually are when they figure out how much power they have over you. Again, it's biology," she said indirectly referencing her own experiences which made Artoria pause her movements. "That sounds like a compliment towards that damnable mage coming from you..." Artoria said less murderous more confused. She would remain confused by her own actions. "It isn't a compliment it is a truth. You learn to live with it, or rather... it will become worth it to deal with..." she explained of the situation generally, knowing she would have to give this same explanation to this girl again. "Look how about this, have a bath, relax and talk it out with me. You can take it at the pace you are most comfortable with or seek advice elsewhere later. Not everything requires immediate action." Vivian offered Artoria stared at her sister several moments before she acquiesced. A bath would begin with the two siblings while Artoria tried to figure out the nature of her feelings about the King of Heroes.

"Does that really count as parting with it? I would sooner call that woman the second sheath," the male said regarding Artoria discarding the Holy Sword Excalibur. As well as that group suited the lore learned in their original world, the sudden appearance of Excalibur in Vivian's hand was only proof that it could travel at least somewhat freely. Ozymandias remembered several films in which the sword traveled through any random body of still water, so he assumed that was the case here.

Ozymandias was content with the current, but sadly, he would not be for very long. True enough, Nefertari would soon be parting ways with him to work her magic for the Queen of Knights. Damn. With them being in the bathroom, there was no way for him to observe her at work. "Tch. You would abandon the Sun for that, in a place I cannot see? That is a grave offense," he declared. Nefertari in her element, but outside of his scrutiny, was tantamount to telling a child it could not play. Of course, Ozymandias would react to such a thing in a manner none too different from the child in said situation. "What recompense should I expect for this great loss?"

According to the Sun King, the Lady Vivian was a secondary sheathe for Excalibur. Nefertari supposed she could see that given the trust issues surrounding the Queen of Knights. "I suppose that was the way of things. Still, I know a little sister begging a big sister for help in a panic when I see one. I was one... for far too long~" she mused. Her own older sister had delivered her from many a panicked interaction with a boy, even one with the very Pharaoh she was currently beside, well before he was Pharaoh anyway. Moving right along, it appeared that the Sun King took offense to the idea that Nefertari would be joining the Queen of Knights in the bath instead of allowing him the great pleasure of seeing her work. He could not always come along with, and the bath of the great ladies in preparation for a party was tantamount to a sacred right. "My Sun and Stars, you know how sacred the time of women in preparation is. Surely, the great Pharaoh will not pout like a child when the moon has to leave his side for a few short moments~" she mused with a cheeky smirk. "Especially not when the other side will be visible for his viewing pleasure for at least a while," she said practically telling the man to take a full gander at her backside when she left for the bath. "Besides all great works need a helping hand and my own cannot be stayed for a Queen like that one~" she chanted.

Ah, yes, bath time. Artoria would soon be found drenched in water hair down. Her elder sister sitting behind her brushing out her locks while the other lass tried and failed to come to terms with what was likely her first bout of attraction. "I cannot like him," she said soundly. "You can and you do. It is obvious to all but you..." she said carefully, as she brushed out knots and tangles through clean locks of golden hair. "You say this but there is no proof of that..." Artoria's body was betraying her once more. And Vivian reached around the lass with an extended arm tapping her wrist with two fingers, and watching something strange happen. A twirling blade in her fingers came to a halt. A Lapis Lazuli handle and a strangely forged blade. This was no relic of Camelot and yet the Queen of Knights was using it to comfort herself. Vivian was Rie her older sister. She knew the lass habits better than she knew them herself. And her holding this blade was a sign of affection whether she saw it as such or not. "That dagger dancing across your fingers is no piece of Camelot, Little Sister. You did not get it from me nor any one of your Knights. Meaning it is a gift from the King of Heroes and it grants you comfort enough that you are using it while trying to speak to me of your distaste. Lie to someone else Eri. I've known you too long for you to hide from me," she said which made the other girl pause looking over her shoulder at her sister. What could she even say to that? "I... cannot argue I like this knife. But it is a really great knife," she said carefully. "Yes, and Kei's cooking is also really great as you would say." was the immediate follow up. "Shit." Artoria was saying these words for the first time in ages. Did she truly like the King of Heroes. "I do not know how to speak with him, Rie. I cannot like him, I do not have a face for that interaction," she said calmly as that knife began moving again. All the while Vivian did the girl's hair, a couple of braids and that tight bun, it would be made so slightly different from the norm, on one side an extra braid tucked in for the sake of flare. "Do not try to make a new face, such a thing will not suit you. You can be yourself now... you know? He likes you."

Apparently, that little stunt Artoria pulled was a sign of a sister in need. That was an interesting way to see one of those, perhaps different in his experience because he was a male... or perhaps because his sister had a very strange way about her. Hell, maybe it was a bit of both. "Ho. I never would have guessed. Dealing with Bree, her tell was always bringing home foods that would ruin a diet," he mentioned. Ozymandias remembered many a time in his previous life, where his dear sister spoiled him with ice-cream, cakes, confections of all sorts and... loads of chips. There was always something wrong in those situations, but ah, what sweet memories they made. "I wonder where she's run off to now..."

Whatever the case, there was no way for Ozymandias to find satisfaction in observing his queen's work this day. Though, according to her, he could always observe the work of her mother... in a roundabout way. "Hah! And you think the sun will not eclipse the moon at its earliest convenience?" It was a dangerous game Nefertari played. Any time she invited him to do such a thing, the chances of neither of them accomplishing anything productive skyrocketed. In cases such as this, however, he would not truly attempt to pull her from her work; she was entitled to her fun alone. "I suppose the new moon must come every once in a while. Afterwards, you may be certain that the moon's waxing phase is upon us, no?"

The Sun King didn't spot the signs of the distressed younger sister, his apparently spoke a different sort of language when she was in need of advocacy. A smile spread across the female Pharaoh's lips in the moment as she gave a nod of her head. "That isn't too odd. It is a love language, she probably made safe with the idea that letting you cheat your diet would mean equivalency in exchange for the time she was taking from you. I was prone to locking myself in my room all the time, so when I had a bad day, I could always be found right under Ronnie drawing something furiously until she acknowledged me," she said thinking back on her own younger self. "Bree said she wanted to be a rock star now that she isn't tone deaf, I assume we'll be hearing about her eventually~" she said with happiness. "Everyone is different, it would seem our resident Queen of Knights has become a girl properly since we last saw her, both her clothing choices and the lack of vision when she entered hint at it. I haven't seen such a thing myself since Iris... the Golden King might be to blame for the emergency meeting," she said taking a knowing sip from a cup of wine. Ah, but in addition to the conversation surrounding the party, there was the private conversation between herself and her perfect pharaoh. "Of course, I expect it. It is a celebration after all, I would always welcome my Pharaoh~" she said offering a wink to the man. Still there was the matter of the waxing of the moon. "As you like Pharaoh, I am waiting for the sister bonding to ebb so I can help our young Queen's confidence. After that and making an appearance I am sure no one will miss the Pharaohs for a while~" she mused lightly.

In the meantime this hairstyle was set in place and a quick signal would be sent to the Queen of Queens about the readiness of Artoria. Though Artoria herself was only barely just starting not to panic. "He cannot. I know he does but it makes no sense. I do not even know who I am outside of my faces... he cannot be sure of any of that and he is. I am a killer. The death and hope of millions incarnate. I am not a pleasant person, Rie, I don't even count myself as a person but he is so sure he likes me. I do not even like me," Artoria's words surprised her older sister. She knew this lass didn't possess regular emotions but she didn't expect this level of confusion. "Not all problems have immediate solutions, Eri. Sometimes it is best to let nature take its course. If you wish to think on your feelings you are free to do so..." said Vivian. Artoria reached for her head feeling the difference of the extra braid and turning to face her sister. "You changed the style," she said acknowledging the difference. "You will come to like it this way. I have never led you astray. Trust me Little Sister." Artoria looked at her older sister and relaxed even sitting in the water body wrapped in a towel she could see no deception in her elder sister. "I cannot kiss him again. I do not understand my reaction... or why he has that sort of power over me," she said finally. "Well, it's basic biology. Communication between bodies is a lot less complicated than you are making it. I am sure it will make sense to you eventually. Some people have that effect on other people and are comfortable with and use it. Some people do it and abuse it, but the rare ones have that effect and hold it with glorious purpose, you seem to have found one like that last. Do not run for too long little sister," Vivian said. "I am not running. I am strategizing it is different." Artoria's words betrayed her fears. Yes she would face them but not while her body did things she did not understand and not while her heart seemed incapable of settling. Even now her face was gently red as she thought of that moment. "I'll never be able to look at him directly again." Vivian laughed. "When did Eri become a proper school girl? I need to know~" she teased.

Nefertari's words made infinite quantities of sense. He'd come to the same conclusion, that his sister thought bribing him would somehow soften the blow of interrupting his schedule, but... he'd also told her many, many times that she took precedence over both work and leisure. That didn't stop her, but he figured it was a matter of comfort, and thus let it pass. Besides, the man named Oliver Williams would never turn down free chips. "Hmph. I would have a chat with Serenity then, about how the young ones never make it easy on us. She seems similar enough that I can say you, like Bree, were wasting your time doing anything but opening your mouth. Luckily, though the reasons differ with the moment, I enjoy when you both open your mouth," he said.

Moving on to talk of Queen Artoria, apparently she was growing into herself as one of the female persuasion. He could see that, given how she rushed past everyone without a word offered when reaching her own party. She had the bearings of a person flustered beyond belief, but making every conscious effort to keep it covered. Hardly a girl exclusive thing, as he'd once been in similar shoes as well. Ah, but what was this? Nefertari spoke of Iris, her child cousin from their previous life. When had that one done? "Hmph! Iris is a precious and innocent child. Who had the audacity to catch her eye?" he wondered, almost angry at the thought as an older brother would be. As for the King of Heroes being the reason for Artoria's current state, well... he couldn't be very surprised. In fact, he chuckled at the idea. "From how insistent that man was about the quality of our work here, and the attendance of everyone here... I'd say he has a terrible case of Down Horrendous Syndrome." Ozymandias had seen behavior like that before. Looking at Gilgamesh during the setup to this celebration was like looking into a distorted mirror of his past self. Well, they had many similarities in this world as things stood, but who would have imagined them having similar dedication, or even obsession toward their desired ones as well?

The Sun King would discuss with his sister-in-law the nature of having a younger sister not come out and say what they were looking for. He expressed a desire for both of them to know that they were wasting their time with emotional bribes in exchange for advice freely given. "Yes, well most of us come to realize that in our own time. But when you are young, hormonal, impatient and bratty... it is sometimes difficult to see the forest for the trees. Especially if you've recently been disagreeable," she said with a curt nod. Ah, he liked when she opened her mouth did he, well, she would be sure to keep that in mind. The rest of the conversation took an interesting turn though, it would seem that the great Pharaoh Ozymandias was blind to himself as always, a scoff escaped Nefertari as she explained whom the great Sun King should be angry with. "Oh, none but the Sun could catch the light of a rainbow~" she said with a chuckle. "You truly are blind, Ozzy. Iris was furious with me for weeks after I introduced you. Only agreeing to relinquish you to me under the dire promise that I never leave you. Only then could she try and find a way to console her heart~" Nefertari explained of that young cousin of hers, who'd had an unwavering crush on the God King until confronted by his relationship with her older cousin. Whatever the case, the works of King Gilgamesh to make this entire party happen did reek of a man infatuated beyond belief. She looked at her cup and saw a small fairy within only to have it disappear the moment it caught her eye. "Yes, he does seem quite interested. I suppose I will be finding out if she is as well, my Sun and Stars, feel free to bask in my radiance as I depart and keep an eye out for anything that we can take amusement in later~" she said as she took the moment, to peck his lips before running off towards the bath. Yes, she was going to dress the Queen this day.

At the same time Artoria was pacing that knife still twirling around her fingers in a perfectly balanced way. "I am not a school girl. School wasn't even that difficult. I had a face for that..." she said. Hoshimi Eri had been a popular athlete and star student. She seemed busy enough with her studies but would hang out from time to time in groups if need be. She was, in that case much like she was as the Queen of Knights. A firm and fair individual who seemed to be a little fun just below the surface. "You can just be yourself. I am sure your King of Heroes has explained that he knows who you are, if you feel the need to share with him the details of your past, I am sure he would not judge," she said trying to encourage a bit of emotional depth. Any little bit of attachment would make the future easier. All the while Artoria's gaze fixed on her sister, she could see her mind working and her good intentions, no deception just her desire for her sister to be nice to the man she liked. Strange. "He should judge me. Nothing about me is particularly likeable. I do not understand his obsession," said Artoria. It would be in this moment that Nefertari entered. "If I might, Queen of Knights. Obsessions do not need to be understood just accepted. And you do not need to dislike yourself so much, you are plenty likeable. You ran by me so quickly earlier I could not stop to appreciate a good faith work in your clothing choices. No matter, I cannot let the Queen appear at her own party without a little flare," she said with a smile on her face. "Queen of Queens, you are a goddess, but I do not understand about this matter of men," she said truthfully. "Take it a day at a time young Queen. Confidence and understanding will come at your pace~ My own Sun and Stars spent quite a while showing me the beauty of myself before I believed him, and even I eventually saw the truth of his words, yours shall be no different of this I am certain," she added. Which made Vivian snap and nod her agreement. "That. Everything can't be a battle or training but if it makes you feel better, you can work your way up to feeling comfortable with your King of Heroes~" she said. "Now we ask questions we see things. I know you have changed your look recently do you like your boob window?" Nefertari asked about Artoria's dress. "I do not dislike it. My only complaint about clothing ever is functionality, I like the bottom free for movement but the top I do not mind." she said as the rainbows in Nefertari's eyes began shifting and those marks around them began to glow. "Ah, I have a great idea then. You are so petite but so fit. It's great, a form like this brings musings from me~ Come, we shall make sure the Queen feels confident and functional in her new wardrobe~" she said happily. And with that she'd begin the process of creating a proper dress for the Queen of Knights.

"I'm sure you do. If memory serves, there were a few times that a certain someone ran up to me and started ranting before I even got so much as a hello out of her," he recalled. These moments of reminiscing did Ozymandias the world of good. In having them, he could always keep hold of his original self, never delving too far into the existence of Pharaoh Ramesses II. Though he did enjoy the current position this world offered, he'd have hated seeing himself become the full mentality he bordered upon.

The one called Iris had an eye for someone, and according to Nefertari... it was Ozymandias himself?! Impossible! "What?! I thought she was just a little sweetheart that was pissed with you because... I don't know, kid reasons!" he explained, baffled by this new information. Strangely, discovering that child had a crush on him was both bothersome and adorable. How he'd deal with it, however, was a curiosity and a half. "That's going to be very awkward later, now that I know. Damnit!" He would be needing to compartmentalize that knowledge for whenever it became relevant again. Either way, it wasn't worth any worry at present; Nefertari had been called upon by the Lake Fairy. Oh! That meant it was time for a strange combination of disappointment and satisfaction! A quick kiss to the lips, and Nefertari would be on her way. As much as he hated these parting moments, brief or otherwise, watching her leave was a different matter entirely. As such, Ozymandias would be seen shamelessly ogling her backside every step she took, until she was no longer in sight. "Look at that," he murmured to none other than himself. Now that she was done, it was time for the male pharaoh to mingle and... find a decent spot away from the crowd, for later use.

A chuckle had come from Nefertari. Of course, such a thing was likely to happen, teen girls were either emotional rollercoasters or pretending to hold it together and nothing in between. "Sounds about right, poor things being young is so difficult~" she said as if teasing but in truth she felt that sentiment all the way to her soul. Towards that same topic the kid crush of her younger cousin seemed to be a thing Ozzy truly didn't know had happened and he blamed kid reasons for her potential bad attitude. "There was also Hop, sizing you up all the time. You really are a strange one not to notice this sort of thing~" she said helping keep them both a bit closer to grounded in their original personalities. Of course their chosen forms, the fact that they were together and their shared life experiences helped them both keep a good grip on themselves.

Meanwhile post her leave and what she was certain was Ozymandias eyeing her backside, there was a gathering of women as the Queen of Knights needed to be both comforted and dressed. It seemed her elder sister had taken care of hair and Nefertari was taking care of clothes and both had taken on the role of calming her fears about the King of Heroes in the meantime. Nefertari would do this the best way she knew how, a new outfit to help her outer confidence. At least this way she could hold her public self to a certain standard. "I am thinking a sapphire blue. Something that pops. Slim fit on the top, large window, wide sleeves for your sword movements but... narrow wrists and form fit about your body. Yes. That sounds great~" said Nefertari as her vision came to life. "Oh yes, white as the main secondary, nice fit top a couple of buttons if you're feeling a bit frisky~" she chimed. "Oh trimmed in gold, corset on the front yes, keep it nice and tight show off all that hard work," Nefertari seemed to be talking up the young Queen of Knights and her elder sister approved. "You're right. I've always been sort of jealous of how good she looks in blue. Not like my sort of blue but that really rich one... she definitely has the skin for jewel tones~" she commented. All the while Artoria found these fabrics light and flexible while also enjoying the current tightness of her top. Even the golden trim seemed to shimmer as she looked down the front of her form. She had such an obviously feminine tilt to this dress, she found herself appreciating it already. "A bit light on the skirt but with a flare. If you don't have the hips yet, you can fake it a bit. And little boots underneath finishing touches..." she chimed the Pharaoh. "That might be some of my best work, honestly. Even the shoulders look the way I imagine. What say you Queen of Knights, any issues?" she asked as if willing to take criticism. "I think... I love it," she offered honestly. Artoria had never felt more like a girl than she did right at the moment. She didn't feel this dress would get in her way at all, she enjoyed the snugness of the top and the slight billow at the bottom. It was knightly, but also queenly and so perfectly fit she could do nothing but appreciate it. The colors and softness of fabrics even made her feel like she could wield Excalibur with no problem. In fact she reached for the sword holding it in her hands moving her body around with it. It would be for an instant like watching her dance. Nefertari smiled as she saw the Queen of Knights reach peace for herself. "Then my work here is done. You look great, Queen. If you ever need anything else... and you find you really like that one, I am always willing to dress another fabulous queen." And with that Nefertari would disappear. Vivian too gave an appreciative whistle... "We'll be waiting for your grand entrance, Queen of Knights. Remember, one day at a time, the King of Heroes chose you, you can choose to believe in you~" she said making her way back to the party. And now it would be time, Artoria only needed a few minutes to calm her still beating heart.

In those few minutes the Queen of Knights needed, several things were coming together. Pharaoh Ozymandias had returned to the grand hall of this building, and seemed to be having a most casual chat with King Gilgamesh. The two were laughing wildly over this thing, that thing and the other while awaiting Queen Artoria's return. Most of the hundreds of people seemed primarily idle in the grand hall, bar the few who moved about serving wine and snacks to hold over for the coming feast. Strangely, the hall contained two thrones at the very end. Multiple Knights of the Round Table had taken note of this, viewing it with judgment and curiosity alike.

Amidst all the mingling, it seemed one individual was content to occupy the guest of honor's remaining sister for a time. This particular knight boasted the greatest stature of all who visited the venue. He had silver-grey hair, a body encased in radiant silver-woven plate armor. He carried a Phantasmal Greatsword, Balmung, on his back even while attending a celebratory event. His tall stature, slender body and tanned-colored skin were proof of him having been soaked in the blood of a dragon. Naturally, this man who stood apart from even the Knights of the Round Table was the designated peacekeeper of ongoing events. What did this man want with the Queen of Saints? Well, he was essentially the bouncer of this party, and stature aside, Jeanne d'Arc was the one he deferred to. "Jeanne, are you really sure all of these people are trustworthy? Some of them look... more than questionable."

The Queen of Knights was centering herself, quieting her own mind and preparing to have to enter this hall which she did not want to do. While this happened, Nefertari found her way back inside and easily slipped her arms around the Pharaoh Ozymandias while he carried on laughing with the King of Heroes. At the same time, the errant Lake Fairy took up drinking among a few of the Knights of the Round Table.

For her part in this, the Queen of Saints found herself near to the tallest man in the room, and technically the one she was most familiar with. Why? Well, they were speaking about the situation at hand, this strange gathering which had people in it who fell less than stellar on any random person's listing. In this way, the tall man before her, reminded her quite a bit of the Queen of Knights. "Don't worry so much Sieg. Between the Knights of the Round Table, You and I, and every other holder of a Holy Grail here, if any thing bad happened we could take care of it. Besides, my sister would probably relish in blowing this place out of the sky after having it sprung on her~" she said knowing the truth of her elder sister in a strange way. She knew that Hoshimi Eri wouldn't at all appreciate this sort of party, but she also knew she deserved to celebrate. As her darling younger sister, she'd take the heat for any negativity her sister wanted to dish out, knowing full well it would never truly reach that point. "Now, how long is she going to make us wait, that is the question~" Jeanne managed seeming pretty pleased beyond the norm. She had on dress white in color with heels seemingly happy about the ensemble even though she was usually hailed as a commander on the battlefield. Whatever the case a strange bell could be heard ringing and when it did, Artoria Pendragon finally emerged from the bath in her new dress with her Holy Grail in hand. What else, it was this victory she was celebrating after all, and those emerald green eyes of hers were quite content. Why wouldn't they be, she had done exactly what she said after all.

The sudden appearance of Nefertari stole Ozymandias' attention, but did not halt his laughter. His arm hooked around her once contact was initiated, and he gestured for a server to provide her wine. After all, he was already quite a few ahead. "Ha ha! Moon of my Life, listen! The Golden King says he will soon have work for you!" he said, still laughing his head off at all the random merriment thrown into their discussion. To continue, Gilgamesh took over the clause. "Indeed. The Sun-King claims there is no seamstress in creation that rivals the likes of you. From what I have seen, I do not disagree. One percent of my treasury will go to you, if you will simply construct the wardrobe of a lifetime!"

Meanwhile, the man deemed "Sieg" was being told not to worry. Looking around at these individuals, he wasn't sure exactly what one didn't have to worry about. The Knights of the Round Table, Jeanne d'Arc, wielders of the Holy Grail and so on... They were all indeed quite powerful. That, however, was the problem he foresaw. "Everyone is mighty, yes, but is everyone agreeable? It seems a single argument between two people could quickly escalate to a calamity, once a few sides are taken. Would that happen to be why I'm here?" the tall man wondered. Alas, he was soon to have his attention taken away─ a fate that would be suffered by all. The bell tolled, answering Jeanne's question to the world to herald in Artoria Pendragon herself. In this new and stunning dress of hers, how would she behave with all eyes on her? One such as Gilgamesh would wonder as she took her first steps into the great hall. "H'oh? I presume this, too, is a a sign of the Sky-Queen's capacity?"

Upon joining the pair of Kings, Nefertari was informed of her future works. She couldn't help but grin at the idea of being able to dress more the Queen of Knights, knowing the intention of the Golden King. "Oh? Are we flattering me today?~ I don't know how much that is, but... the Queen of Knights is one of my favorite models. I have no problem with such tasks and she is far more agreeable than she tends to let be known~" she said with a smile on her face. "Unless of course you meant for you. I have been known to design men's clothes from time to time~" she said giving a quick glance at her husband as she took a single drink and found herself easily sipping upon it. She had so much information about the state of the Queen of Knights' mind right at the moment. She knew there was about to be a rather stunning realization for the lass.

Jeanne, found Sieg's points both agreeable and worth glossing over. He was worried about the state of these groups of people should they choose violence. "I could see that as a reason to be worried but..." she gave a pause and smiled. "My sister is more of a problem than anyone here. And she is not above using violence to make her point. No one will come to blows if she does not allow it," Jeanne seemed very certain, and she had every reason to be. But there was one thing she did not know and one thing that had rather conveniently slipped the Queen of Knights mind.

She'd forgotten to mention the role of the King of Heroes in her life. She didn't truly know what to call it, but she hadn't mentioned his looking after her, nor her trip to the upper realm a decade ago. The only one who knew of this man's leanings towards her besides those of the upper realm was Sir Tristian who'd left her company because he was saddened by her lack of affection towards the King of Heroes. Yes, Queen Artoria Pendragon had forgotten to tell a collection of knights that she was technically being courted by the King of Heroes and this was going to become a huge problem when he sat beside her in a few moments. She was well aware of this and her eyes narrowed just slightly. 'Fuck, how could I forget something so important.' she thought hiding panic behind her visage. The lady knights of Camelot were looking at their queen with near stars in their eyes. The Lady Kay had known Artoria most of her life, and she was being so much a little lady right now she was colored surprised. The Lady Galahad in her infinite cleverness had taken all of a quick viewing of this room to realize what exactly was in store for them all as far as shock was concerned even without the direct details. Oh yes, this was going to be a problem. Even as the Queen of Knights walked with her hands clasped in front of her holding onto her Holy Grail. In her need for comfort she rather suddenly wanted to be holding a weapon, perhaps this wouldn't go as badly as she thought it could. Maybe she could get through this evening with just a few wayward looks from her Knights and have time to explain it to them later? She could hope right? Maybe pray? Could she pray to the Nexus? Every step was taken with dignity, she did still feel very confident in this dress speaking of, Nefertari had something to say. "Of course, can't have a Queen showing up to her own party without a proper new look~" she said after another sip of wine.

In terms of flattery, all words spoken by both Gilgamesh and Ozymandias were simple truths as they saw it. In terms of how much Gilgamesh offered for the Sky-Queen's work, it seemed she hadn't a clue what 1% of his treasury entailed. With his specifications in place, a mere desire to work with Artoria Pendragon as her canvas would not be sufficient. "Demand is high. What I require is a wardrobe greater than your greatest works. One percent would be enough to exceed the monetary value of your country, if not for the pricelessness of one-of-a-kind structures found there. Regardless, the offered quantity is great enough that you can spread it on the ground all around you, without a single piece touching, and not see either end. Return to me with your answer when it is time to dine."

While the King of Heroes was being unnecessarily frivolous for a woman who rejected him time and time again, "Sieg" heard of how apparently ridiculous the Queen of Knights was. With that being the case, he had to wonder what he'd been called upon for... though there was no summons from Jeanne d'Arc he would not answer. "I suppose this is an easy job then. If necessary, I will at least do my best to prevent any issues before someone else has to step up," he assured with a light bow, which barely brought him down to eye-level with the Queen of Saints.

Nefertari confirmed her work on Artoria's current dress. Gilgamesh heard these words, but his attention was fixed. "Hmph. Magnificent, as expected," he said, though his words were not truly about that dress at all. Nothing was on her face, but panic was in her soul. This, too, was the dichotomy of Artoria Pendragon that Gilgamesh found perfect. Leaving the pharaohs to their devices, he stepped toward the end of the isle. Those knights' concerns would be realized, or perhaps even given reason as King Gilgamesh stood before two thrones, while Artoria walked a path toward them. His arms were crossed, and a massive grin was upon his face. There was an announcement to be made, and what would it reveal? Well... everything Artoria failed to tell her faithful knights back home. "Hear me, you pack of fools! Behold the radiance that is the hope of humanity. Flounder before the queen of all creation. As this is a celebration, I will allow the lot of you to gawk and extol to your hearts' content. You should all take advantage."

Nefertari was provided a strange explanation. He claimed what he would give could have outweighed the monetary value of their country aside from their specialty buildings. Ah, that was quite a bit, but what he wanted was a wardrobe of such a great magnitude it would have been even greater than her own. "What an interesting proposition~" she said. Giving it a decent bit of thought she had until dinner to decide, she'd give it a bit more thought. To undertake an entire wardrobe for the Queen of Knights was extreme especially when she considered the lass likely wouldn't just want it. Still, it would be fun and she had quite the interesting figure.

Ah moving on, Jeanne explained to Sieg how the events of the night could play out with the Queen of Knights and her violent tendencies. Of course, him doing his best was all she asked for, but she didn't exactly bring him along just for that purpose. He bowed bringing him within distance of her face and she pecked his cheek with her lips. "I should be clearer. If anyone is going to attack, it will be my sister attacking the man who... is currently speaking. No need for you to get between them~" she explained knowing the truth of a battle between Gilgamesh and Artoria Pendragon because she'd once witnessed it herself.

Of course, this fact would only be culminated in a moment where Gilgamesh technically revealed everything the Queen of Knights hadn't told her band of people. The lady knights both had their eyes snap to the Queen of Camelot. They had not expected this, even so, this man was brash and as abrasive as she'd claimed. Both of them knew how one ended up with a man like this, but both would have only smiles on their faces. The Lady Kay would be the first to speak, as she flipped a blonde ponytail over her shoulder and sat in a very well put together bit of armor with a flowing blue cape. "I am clear headed right, there was just the implication that our Queen is at least courting a man, correct?" she said aloud to Galahad. That pink haired young woman could only nod her apparent understanding. "That does seem to be the case, but... she forgot to tell us. And she didn't expect him to," she said with a gentle gesture towards the Queen as she approached Gilgamesh. 'Fuck, fuck fuckity fuck fuck!!!' her mind was all swears and no room to deliver. She shouldn't attack him, that would give the wrong impression, but she wanted to give him violence for the crazed way he announced the information he did. Her Knights weren't prepared for this, and that was a problem and a half. "Why? Why are you like this King of Heroes? Do you live to embarrass me?" She asked this question with a reddened face and softness at the edge of her visage. She'd had a plan, and a face in mind for this evening and now she had... nothing, her entire look had shattered in a single moment of speech knowing that she'd forgotten to tell her Knights about the intentions of the King of Heroes before now.

When Jeanne spoke, full sense was made, though it also made no sense at all. Artoria being the one to attack, if anyone did at all, was perfectly reasonable based on what he'd heard thus far. Her attacking the man speaking at present, however, seemed wrong. Before anything regarding that was addressed, the lips of Jeanne were pressed to his cheek. The man's eyes widened as he pulled away, pressing a hand to the location and looking around abashedly. "Is that really an appropriate thing for you to do here?" he wondered aloud. About the Queen of Knights' potential attack, he was even more curious. "Why would she attack him? She seems to be the only one he speaks positively about, and it sounds as if they're engaged to be wed. . ."

Engaged indeed, Gilgamesh would say, even if that was not truly the case at present. Others believed the same, though. Lady Kay and Lady Galahad were not the only visiting knights to discuss the words of King Gilgamesh; Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were in a very similar position. "Is there something we've misunderstood?" Gawain asked, to which Lancelot grunted and shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. He's still breathing after saying such things with her standing right there, so... maybe we completely missed something? I don't trust it; we would have heard about this. Something suspicious is going on." It seemed Sir Lancelot would be doing a bit of investigating soon. First though, he had to let the overall shock of the crowd die down a bit. It wouldn't be best to make an even bigger scene, after all.

Besides, Gilgamesh had the ability to make the scene even bigger all by himself! Looking upon Artoria's beet-red visage, he laughed hardily. "Bwahahaha! Of course; what else? It is my divine right to bring heat to both your face and your loins! I find it beyond titillating to see you in such a state. You may call it an exercise in restraint, that I do not throw myself upon you each time you show that face," he announced, being none too quiet about it. Why would he be? As far as he was concerned, there was nothing at all strange about his words. Regardless, he took one step to the side, next to the throne he would soon sit upon. "You come brandishing the Holy Grail, the fruit of your own labor. Have you no words for your subjects, those dogs of Chaldea?"

The words of Jeanne seemed to click in the mind of Sieg as he was being called by her. Moreover after she pressed her lips into the side of his face, he pulled away abashedly making the young blonde woman with eyes like blue sapphires smile up at him with the slightest bit of mischief as their light. Was what she'd just done appropriate to the situation? Yes. "Of course it is an appropriate thing for me to do here. I am a saint not a nun. And I'd need a step ladder or you to be seated otherwise~" she said with a smug little smirk across her face. Ah, yes, Hoshimi Emi was just as bad as her siblings without their abject personality defects. As for why the Queen of Knights would attack the King of Heroes, Jeanne looked at her sister's cracked visage following the announcement of Artoria's status within Chaldea. "If you wish not to fight, I would avoid using that word directly to her to describe that relationship. My sister is... emotionally unavailable. The King of Heroes deserves more credit than that, he also does not have anything bad to say about me, we get along swimmingly." she said as if she couldn't get along with literally anyone. Still the King of Heroes was quite openly abrasive, her sister was similarly openly violent, they were bound to have disagreements from time to time. "He is an interesting person and their conversations are series of battles. I have seen her nearly slay him when he proposed marriage so... take that as you'd like. I am not going to question how they love each other. But I think he's good for her~" she said of the Queen of Knights and the King of Heroes.

At the same time as the conversation between Gawain and Lancelot, Agravain looked at the Queen in her distress. They had always been of the opinion that the Queen of Camelot was an inhuman dragon-slaying beast with the heart of an assassin tucked under the hem of their Chivalry. To see her now, looking as red faced as a school girl created a contradiction in the mind of the young blonde causing their eyes to flicker a brilliant shade of red. "Who are we to know the truth of our Queen's heart? Has she ever been the type to tell us anything we did not need to know?" There was the slightest bit of outrage in Agravain, who'd spent time with their other aunt, the Queen of Saints, just to find out the Queen had at some point decided this man could speak to her in such a strangely direct way. "Still who is this King to speak to our Queen in such a way?" Agravain's loyalty to Artoria was never to be questioned, even so that one's temper was almost as bad as her own. 'Fuck. Agravain is pissed. The world is falling apart and still...'

Gilgamesh kept talking. Every word he spoke inspired Artoria's reactionary nature. "Do you leave me no dignity? Would it kill you to shut your mouth for three seconds and see what you have caused?! I am sovereign of my own nation and have been for a century do you have any idea how you saying such things will affect my image?!" Artoria was whispering but every word was full of ire, and embarrassment. Audacious was the King of Heroes with every word he spoke about her, and yes they were all still flowers but did he need to say such things directly to an entire crowd of people? Still there was a matter of addressing the audience. She did need to do that, she hated doing that and she'd lost her public visage for just a moment. Right, that one she could do, before taking the Knights with her to set them at ease. "I... succeeded in capturing my Holy Grail as I said I would. Albion will rise at my command, and you all have done your fair share in preparing so, until this enjoy the celebration." she said with all the dignity of the sovereign she was. "I know you all have questions so, Knights with me," she'd take all of this at face value that cup still clutched in her hands and walk towards her group most unsettled. She knew they were all curious. Agravain's eyes had not left the King of Heroes, but they turned to follow their aunt the Queen of Knights as they always would.

According to Jeanne herself, her actions were very much appropriate. As for her excuse, however, it was quite... misplaced? Yes, that was it. "I'm not so sure needing a stepladder is enough reason to be so forward with an opportunity in public. Though, it's not that I mind. I worry for your image," he said. She was a saint, not a nun... True. However, the company she chose to keep was not exactly what most would expect of either. His story was not necessarily an honorable one, contrary to the truth of events. Whatever the case, he was presently being advised against speaking on the apparent engagement between king and queen. He couldn't imagine why, though he also couldn't fathom how someone emotionally unavailable could be in a situation like that. Further information about the previous meetings between those two only proved more perplexing. "You have the most interesting family. Are all of you so strange?" he asked.

In the midst of an ongoing discussion, Agravain offered their two cents, so to speak. They were the most loyal to the queen in the strangest, most suspicious of ways. They were at least right; the queen never shared unnecessary information. "Isn't that the problem? Isn't this something we should know? Even if it is a personal matter, something like that not being shared with us by our own queen is suspicious," Lancelot claimed.

Gilgamesh knew precisely what he was causing. It was all for the best; everyone would simply have to adjust to things. Artoria herself was included, of course. Artoria's current image was nothing to be concerned about, as all were required to see the image Gilgamesh saw. "I have every idea that the image you have now is the play of children. Queen of a nation? That pales in comparison to your true self: Queen of Everything. Addressing you as what you are, merely comes with the territory of becoming my bride," he said with utmost confidence. With that, Artoria offered the briefest speech. That was more of a greeting than anything, but there were no qualms to be had. There was, however, an issue to be taken with one of the knights who followed Artoria out of the hall. Gilgamesh felt those eyes upon him, and his own were set upon the smaller blonde in kind. What manner of mongrel was this, to stare at him so brazenly? A glare was returned as those strange pupils drew to narrow slits, then opened slowly. In his mind, Gilgamesh ended the life of that audacious brat in the time it would have taken to blink... but alas, he would not be sullying his queen's celebration before it truly began. "Hmph."

According to Sieg he didn't think her seizing such an opportunity was misplaced. According to him he worried for her image, that was dumb. "My image needs no worrying. I want to be seen with you. There is literally no reason I wouldn't be so forward, I am expressive as an individual, a bit of opportunism is the key to success in life~" she said. She took that attitude into most things, including but not limited to battle. There was also a question of her family and the strangeness surrounding her siblings. "I do not think we are too strange. We just had a very structured life before and all of us took it differently," she said that explanation making all of the sense but also being exceedingly vague. Not that she would not explain such things to him if he wished to know them specifically.

According to Lancelot there was suspicion around the Queen not sharing information. Artoria could practically feel the dissent; why did he have to be so brazen and difficult? The Queen of Knights could have eased her group into this instead they were thrown into the deep end. At the same time Agravain was given the strangest glare they'd ever had the displeasure of meeting, before they turned. Artoria had something to say about that though even as she walked away knowing what that person was like, because she would have been doing the same thing herself. "If you have time to glare Agravain your eyes should be on me. I raised you better," she said which immediately made that one drop their gaze and most of their attitude. "My apologies, I spoke too freely..." was offered and meant with sincerity. Artoria had nothing else to say to Gilgamesh as she was still steaming at his words while she could not contradict them at all given her own conversation with the Nexus.

Once outside with all her personal Knights gathered, including the Lady Kay and the Lady Galahad Artoria fought with herself over how to explain the situation. She'd decided a few moments ago she'd simply start speaking and hope everything made sense by the time she was done. And strangely though she was their sovereign the first thing out of her mouth was. "I owe all of you an apology. I had planned to ease this transition a bit better, but I also came to realize today that I forgot to mention the King of Heroes before now aside from that first mention ages ago," she said still holding the Holy Grail in her hand. "That situation is a bit more complicated than I initially intended..." Artoria took full responsibility for this as she could, admittedly it wasn't a situation she'd imagined herself explaining but given he'd showed up when she won her grail she figured she'd have to explain it. She just simply didn't expect to do it, today and she'd forgotten to mention the development of their ability to converse with each other at the start of the previous decades wait.

"I think that is a terrible decision," said Siegfried. Though it was more than flattering to know that she wanted to be seen in his presence, for her own sake, it could bring nothing but judgmental stares. Whether he was imagining it or not, he could feel it now─ the few stray glances from the most random individuals. "The supposed Queen of Saints is keeping rather questionable company," he imagined them saying."Structured, you say. That must have been some incredible structuring," he determined about the way Jeanne and her group of siblings functioned in their previous life. Two, even three of them were very queer now, but what could they have truly been like before? Jeanne seemed the most normal from what he'd seen thus far, at least; he could take solace in that. "I mean no disrespect to the others, but I am very glad you were the one I encountered that day. Queen Artoria may have beheaded me."

Artoria had called upon the knights... quite vaguely. Siegfried felt strangely compelled to follow her as well, managing to refrain due to the fact that he'd come here only on Jeanne's request. He'd do his job, but apart from that, he would only be going where she went. Lucky him, of course, as all of Artoria Pendragon's knights were in for the revelation of a lifetime. She started with an apology? That was strange. Stranger still was the fact that she didn't deny any of their assumptions regarding her relationship with that man, much to Sir Lancelot's chagrin. "My Queen, surely you don't mean you've actually entered any form of relationship with that man? He speaks to you as if you're just a thing!" he griped. From Lancelot's perspective, King Gilgamesh had a desire for the Queen of Knights during her rise, as if he sought some sort of trophy wife. Given the way he behaved, that would have been no surprise at all. "Is it sorcery? Have you been enchanted?" he wondered, completely distraught. Gawain entertained the same idea, but he was not willing to believe their queen had been taken by something like that. "Don't be too hasty, Lancelot. I'm sure there is more to the story than what you're interpreting."

"Good thing it isn't your decision to make," Jeanne said these words and meant them. Then again, all of the Hoshimi children had their quirks and though she was nice and well-balanced Hoshimi Emi still wasn't actually a pushover of any sort. She was used to reigning in her siblings, after them, no one was immune to her brand of control. As for the structuring of their family, of course it was quite intense. "Yes, it was, but we aren't really as strange as we seem at a glance," she said carefully. Apparently, with no disrespect intended, Siegfried was happy that it had been Jeanne he'd met first, thinking the Queen of Knights might have beheaded him upon their first meeting. "I am sure she might have beaten you into submission. But even she is forgiving when she wants to be," she said of her elder sister. That last bit was obvious given what her betrothed was like.

Meanwhile Artoria had to calm the fears of her Knights. And this was much more difficult than she thought, especially Lancelot who again was most likely to lodge complaints. He apparently thought she was bewitched given her lack of disinterest in the King of Heroes. Both of the female Knights choked back giggles as they heard this. The Lady Kay thinking only one kind of magic brought women to heel as such and it wasn't anything so bad as anything these men thought. But they were quite protective of their Queen. "He does not speak of me the way he speaks of things. That much will become clear to you on your own... his view of things and his view of me are very different of this I am certain," Artoria said these words and fought the urge to rub her face. Gawain in his infinite calm made her heart sing. He was getting extra dessert. She also noted how quiet her female Knights were, ugh the men in her life truly all saw her as that much of a girl didn't they? "Gawain is right, there is no sorcery. I am not bewitched..." she said seeming to be thinking about how best to explain the situation. The Lady Galahad spoke up for the first time since they'd exited the building. "Well, we do only have your original sentiments about the King of Heroes to go on. Perhaps, if you explained your shift in... perspective, it would help us all," she said softly. Artoria looked at Galahad and found in those purple eyes understanding and softness, she was truly trying to get everyone to understand Artoria's mindset. "I should start by saying that I have seen him since that first statement. About a decade ago, when I took that walk..." she said. That walk. That walk that had her leave with Tristan and come back alone. The walk that had constituted a fortnight total for Queen of Knights and the walk, that had been the end of her sleeplessness.

Being beaten into submission sounded more like a challenge than anything else to Siegfried, but... he was prone to thinking in such ways, in certain situations. However, he was not opposed to the idea of sparring with Artoria Pendragon. "Well, I suppose she would be welcome to try. I feel I could offer a decent challenge," the male surmised. He wasn't exactly sure why, but he felt as if challenging the Queen of Knights would be a worthwhile undertaking. "Anyway, I guess if I'm basing it all on you, the others can't be so odd either. You are... mostly normal."

Artoria disagreed with Lancelot's claim. Strangely, that just seemed to fall directly inline with the idea of something happening between the two. "Not bewitched, huh..." Lancelot mused. He still didn't understand the difference between how Gilgamesh referenced Artoria, and how anyone referenced objects, but he supposed everyone else in the building had been referred to as... dogs or something. They did still have nothing but her original sentiments about the King of Heroes to go by, as Lady Galahad declared. What could have been missing? Well, there was apparently a secondary meeting of the two from... about a decade ago? That was around the time of the first meeting, but mention of a walk... oh. "You mean the same two week-long walk that saw you return without Tristan, and with a random dagger you keep brandishing everywhere you go? I assumed you'd gone on a quest and conquered a dungeon somewhere. What the hell could you have done to make this happen back then?"

Ah, apparently Siegfried thought he could offer a decent fight to the Queen of Knights. A wide smile spread across Jeanne's face as she considered such a thing. "I would normally tell you to avoid fighting her at all costs, but she would enjoy a spar as much as the next person. And there is always something interesting to be learned from facing her," she said. "She is a monster though, be careful," Jeanne said she would be worried about the fight between her boyfriend and her sister. Especially when her sister found out this was her boyfriend. She was technically hoping to slide this information in under the bravado of the King of Heroes and lessen the blow a bit. Moving on, it seemed that Siegfried didn't assume too many negatives based on the the way she was and how it could correlate to her family. "I feel like I should question the mostly part, but I'll let that go~" she said with a smirk. Of course, she knew herself to be a bit different from the norm. Still, she felt like she should have been watching her sister explain to her Knights how she came to accept the King of Heroes in any light.

"I am not bewitched, at all..." Artoria said firmly. Ah, the mention of that walk seemed to stir the mind of Lancelot a bit. Apparently, his memory of that walk was pretty fresh even though it had been a pretty huge topic of conversation. Even so, she did not want to talk about it then and if she was being honest she didn't want to talk about it now either. "That is the walk, yes. And I do not brandish the dagger, it is simply really well-balanced..." she said, leaving out the comforting part. Technically speaking she wasn't lying either, that was a really nice dagger. "As for what I did to make this happen, well..." Artoria had to think of a way to phrase her rampage that wouldn't sound as bad as it did to her in hindsight. "First I need to state that this was a decade ago, and I have calmed down quite a bit since then," she said carefully. The Lady Galahad was studying Artoria and saw within the young woman classic signs of growth and regret. Lady Kay saw the childish version of the same girl and figured she'd done something violent. "I went on that walk to find a proper outlet for my rage at cultists and I found myself in Uruk. The King of Heroes explained that situation to me over dinner. I also might have attacked him when he tried to talk me out of it. Again it was 10 years ago," she said carefully. "I should also say he's sort of been proposing marriage to me since that first holy grail war we were both in and I almost killed him then," she said carefully. "Again over a decade ago," she said. "Anyway, I might have ended my fortnight of sleeplessness after failing to kill him that second time," Artoria explained of the situation. "But when I woke up I had breakfast and a long bath and destroyed a few temples with his consent. The dagger was a gift, because he wanted me to sleep without holding on to Excalibur," she said giving a general explanation. "Tristan disagreed with the way I treated the King of Heroes, he claimed I did not understand and that he could not bear to watch something so sad," she said thoughtfully. "I have not agreed to marry him as he wishes but he sees things more absolutely than I do. But I do not dislike him and I am not unsafe in his company," she explained of the King of Heroes. The Lady Kay heard out this story and could only blink a few times. If she understood this story correctly, the Queen of Camelot was being courted by the King of Heroes, this was the most girlish explanation she'd ever heard from their 'King' in her life.

"I certainly imagine she would. I'm very fond of a spar myself, and I am always willing to learn when possible. Besides... I guess she's my queen at the end of the day, isn't she?" Well, life was somewhat strange at times. In his time, Siegfried would have served two queens, after himself being born a prince. The strangest part was that one of those two queens wasn't much of a "queen" at all. Jeanne definitely had no true way to question the "mostly" in his earlier clause while she was the not-queen in question. "And look, the saintly quality shows itself~" he said as she decided not to question things at all. A light chuckle escaped him. "Something to drink?"

Not bewitched, the queen repeated. Lancelot simply couldn't wrap his head around this situation, and frankly, neither could Gawain. Of course, they had very different reasons for this. Gawain couldn't believe the woman was partaking of any relationship, of any sort. Lancelot couldn't believe she would pursue someone so aggravating. Ah, but clarity would soon be given to all. That little walk she'd taken ten years ago was more of a journey, a crusade against whatever sent those wretched men to her bedroom. Suddenly, the amount of time she'd taken on that "walk" made a great deal of sense. The way she phrased a few things, however, made one such as Lancelot assume a few unrelated reasons she might have ended her sleeplessness. "My Queen, are you telling us you went on a journey of vengeance after going without sleep for ages, fought a pompous treasure-hoarder, slept with him, took a gift that you've been coddling for ten years since, and defiled several places of worship?" At this point, Lancelot was rubbing the bridge of his nose. It certainly sounded as if all of his interpretations were true, and worse yet, she claimed her attachment to the dagger was purely because of its balance? "I've seen a thousand daggers that are well-balanced. Why that one? Honestly, if I may be so bold, you sound like a schoolgirl with a crush she refuses to admit she has. Moreover, that was enough to make Tristan leave? What, did he walk in on the two of you and decide he was feeling too envious to bear being around you both?"

A chuckle escaped Jeanne as she nodded her agreement. "Oui~, my sister is the Queen of Knights. I am quite surprised you didn't feel compelled to join her when she commanded the Knights to leave with her," Jeanne said wondering if his split allegiance was something to question. "Though I suppose you don't need an explanation for why the King of Heroes speaks to her, in the same way her own knights would need to understand. I imagine that is an interesting conversation~" Jeanne said seemingly amused by the entirety of the situation. "Of course, I am a saint!~" she said seeming to find that amusing beyond all reason. As for a drink, she would definitely have one. "Of course, Sieg. We can have a drink and wait to see how my sister's knights react to her news about the King of Heroes," said Jeanne.

Meanwhile, the female Knights jumped to no such conclusions, but Lancelot jumped quite a few hoops that made Artoria's eyes widen and her face crack just a bit. "Whoa, where in any of that did I imply I slept with the King of Heroes?!" She seemed to be genuinely shocked by the assertion. "No such thing occurred; I said I finally got to sleep. I meant I was rendered unconscious in the aftermath of an actual battle. I slept in that bed alone for three days, that is all," Artoria stated with absolute clarity. Both of the young women in this group laughed again. She definitely had not slept with the King of Heroes. If she had, they doubted he would have been quiet about it. "And I do not coddle the dagger, it is just a really nice dagger..." She could not stress this fact enough. "I have always slept with one, even as a child, even in my life before this one... I am vividly attached to my weaponry. I did not know this was a point worth being confused about," the young queen explained of herself. The Lady Kay spoke up in this instance. "I can confirm that even as a young child, once she was old enough to claim one, Artoria has always slept with a knife on her person... a strange habit, but not one I thought was worth mentioning. The comfort of sleeping with a weapon isn't one I understand, but finding comfort in a gift after experiencing a strange discomfort is not so uncommon," she said. Artoria's gaze shifted; she found it odd that Kay of all people was sticking up for her. This was such a shocking turn of events, she could hardly believe what she was hearing. Taking a moment to calm herself, there was the matter of Tristan and why he actually left. Since she didn't sleep with the King of Heroes, Artoria supposed it was worth explaining. "Tristan left because he heard a declaration the King of Heroes made to me about my potential futures, while I was calmly trying to talk him out of his infatuation with me. Tristan said the King of Heroes' convictions were real, and that I did not understand the hearts of men. He said it was sad to see me behave with such reckless abandon towards the feelings of another person." Artoria admitted these things, and both the young women with her watched as she'd obviously been processing all of that for the last decade, without telling anyone. "I have always told all of you, you could speak freely with me, and I did mean that. I released and told him he could come back whenever he felt like it. I wouldn't punish him for being honest with me. So, Tristan left and I spent a while thinking over his words; that is all. I consider that I may not fully understand the King of Heroes' preoccupation with me, but I cannot rebuke honesty," Artoria concluded.

Siegfried raised a brow to Jeanne's assertion. It wasn't as if he didn't feel compelled to follow the Queen of Knights. "I did, but that is not my place. I am here by your request. So long as you don't want me to go where they've gone, I have no reason to," he said frankly. "Besides, I get the strangest feeling we wouldn't truly get along. Just a hunch. As for why that king speaks to her, I hardly get your meaning. Though, that is also not my place. I'll find some wine; I keep hearing about how incredible it is." With that said, Siegfried bowed once more prior to taking a temporary leave of the saint. He would go on to locate a pair of needlessly ornate chalices, already filled with wine. Many things in this place seemed so ridiculously extravagant, he wondered how much of it actually belonged in the original venue.

Speaking of wondering, Artoria seemed to wonder how Lancelot made such a leap. Well, that much was obvious. "You had dinner, you fought, he presumably kept propositioning you, and you 'might have ended a fortnight of sleeplessness.' The signs are all there; who am I to see anything different when talking about someone who obviously wanted that outcome." As far as Lancelot was concerned, it wouldn't have been surprising if Artoria later mentioned being drugged mid-combat, and taken advantage of in her sleep. Maybe he spent a little too much time in his job as a bartender, back in his previous life. Either way, Lady Kay came to the queen's defense regarding that fancy dagger of hers. Sure, there was nothing out of the ordinary about going to bed with some sort of protection... but it wasn't like he'd seen her carrying it to bed, either. "On her person, yes. That usually doesn't involve the rest of us watching her play around with it, does it?" he asked of the group at large. He'd personally never seen her just fiddling with some random dagger, but maybe he just happened to be alone in this. "Whatever. That part is if no importance. So, Tristan somehow became even sadder, and he left because you turned down someone obsessed with you. You know, just because you can't rebuke honesty, doesn't mean you must bend the knee to it. You tried making it clear to the King of Pomp that you had no interest before, so why would you not make it clear to everyone when he speaks to the contrary? If you'd decided to stop rejecting him, there would hardly be a point to this meeting, no? On the other hand, if you are still rejecting the idea, perhaps this was a story to tell more than just us."

Sieg didn't believe he'd truly get along with Artoria and Jeanne could do nothing but agree with that notion. Her sister seemed to harbor a special amount of disrespect for certain people and she wasn't sure what it was that made it so. Still, her elder sister was quite flexible when it came to family and as such Jeanne was quite certain it would be fine. "I suppose you wouldn't get along, well not in the super friendly sort of way. But she would be nice and civil once the shock as worn off," she said seeming to have a unique understanding of her elder sister's personality. Of course, this was due in large part to managing her for so much of her career. "As for the wine, Siduri is probably the best wine-maker to ever exist so if her works are being passed around, you definitely have to have some. I've actually missed having her around since the last time I saw her~" the Queen of Saints had interesting thoughts on drinking and fun for someone who was hailed as a saint.

Artoria for her part in this, had it made clear to her why Lancelot had jumped to the conclusions he did. She supposed outside of the situation was it was, she could see why he would see it that way. Even so, he was still gravely mistaken on the King of Heroes persona. "He isn't like that. I will admit if I heard such a thing I might assume the worst but he is not that sort of man," Artoria said calmly. She was defending the King of Heroes and that in and of itself was surprising. Kay found herself looking strangely at her Queen, for all of this girl's brash attitude she seemed to have a greater understanding of the King of Heroes than she was letting on. Perhaps they truly did have a long conversation. "I noticed that habit while ago. More directly our Queen tends to attack when she is upset and thus feels more comfortable with a weapon in her hands in general. Even right now she is fidgeting," said Galahad who'd remained quiet while Artoria explained mostly to figure out where the mind of the Queen of Camelot was. In those minutes Galahad realized that the Queen of Knights harbored a decent bit of confusion surrounding her own feelings. Lancelot pointed out that she didn't have to return the feelings of someone obsessed with her. And of course Artoria realized that, it was simply more complicated. "I... do not dislike the King of Heroes. I am not bending the knee to his affections. In fact, if you hear him properly I am kicking and screaming and fighting all the way and he is simply accepting that as part of the inevitable. This story is for you all because it is my fault you did not know about it before. The people of his country and the rest of the empire are aware of my existence and his desire to marry me," she said carefully. "I cannot accept how he feels. I do not understand his devotion when I have done nothing to inspire it, and done what I can to crush it underfoot but... the matter is still more complicated than that," she explained. She knew she was going to die, she did not wish to share this information with everyone and leave them hopeless. At the same time, she did not wish to give Gilgamesh hope in her returned affections while knowing her death was permanent. Both her Knights and Gilgamesh were to be in the same boat without her, but at least her knights would eventually have her brother to replace her missing place in their lives. Gilgamesh would be given nothing of the sort and as such she didn't like the idea of presenting him with the blind hope of having her, no matter what he claimed to see of their future. Artoria could see Lancelot's concern, she could understand how genuinely confused he was by her lack of force in this situation, she wished she had a better explanation for her behavior. "You aren't truly considering her feelings, Sir Lancelot. Regardless of the fact that Artoria Pendragon is our Sovereign, she is also still a young woman. You would have her completely embarrass herself trying to explain how she feels about a man while passing negative judgement over him in the same breath? It is fairly unreasonable to ask her something like that in the middle of a celebration of her victory organized by the man whom you hold such a negative opinion of but who rather obviously has nothing but positive things to say about our Queen," the Lady Kay was speaking and as was usually the case when she did, her points were firm. "It seems to me this should be taken rather simply. The King of Heroes is courting our Queen, and in her youthful inexperience she is unsure of how she feels about it. Perhaps it works out, perhaps it doesn't, but isn't it then our duties to stand with her while she figures that out?"

Siegfried and the Queen of Knights would not get along in the friendly way; that information wasn't surprising at all. He expected that she would always be a person he could respect, but never truly bond with on any level. Well, perhaps there were a few levels. The true extent of it all would be something he discovered eventually, possibly even soon when considering they were all inhabiting the same building at present. For the time being, he was content to return to Jeanne's side with wine in tow. One serving was to be passed off to Jeanne, naturally, while the other he kept raised. She spoke so highly of this wine, he absolutely had to try it for himself.

It was strange to see the Queen of Knights defending the very man she spoke somewhat ill of after their initial meeting. It was all a little ridiculous, hearing her both accept and reject the idea of a king who sought her hand. Lancelot was beyond curious. What would she do in the end, after all this talk? Would the Knights of the Round Table have a sudden king in addition to their existing queen? That would be strange, though Lancelot wished he could know ahead of time regardless of any weirdness. Whatever happened, a few things were beginning to make sense at last. Lancelot sighed. "If he's earnestly that attached and you don't understand it, I suppose I understand Tristan's decision." With that said, Lancelot leaned against his own hand, sighing once more. Kay being the one to take Artoria's side so directly was yet another oddity in this situation. Frankly, he understood why she took such a perspective, though he stood firm in his own stance. "Well, someone was going to ask these questions eventually. It isn't as if I require an answer. But, what I've said should be taken into consideration at the very least. I would just like to know if there is ever going to be a second person added to the list of people we swear our fealty to. I swore myself to Artoria Pendragon," he said, his eyes glossing over the queen herself. "I do not want to directly serve that arrogant king, but if you ever decide to accept him, I will make him my... number two option."

Gawain silently listened to multiple sides of the ongoing discussion. His stance was no less firm than Kay's or Lancelot's, though it was of a different nature entirely. "I believe we've strayed too far from the beaten path here. Should it be this relationship, or lack thereof, that we are discussing? Whatever our queen's intentions, we should be grateful that it was brought to our attention when it needn't be. The last decade has not been easy for anyone, but look where we are now. The Round Table is soon to reach heights unknown to most of the world, all because in spite of what is going on here, our queen made it happen. We should be toasting, not debating matters of the heart! Our queen can approach these matters however she sees fit, and if she is in need of guidance, I'm sure she knows we are all willing to assist if asked."

Siegfried and the Queen of Saints were now in a position to have a drink. His cup still raised she'd meet it in a toast and enjoy a sip of wine that caused her soul to sing. "Siduri is something else, of this I am certain. Would it be weird to saint a wine-maker because I consider it every time I have one~" Jeanne mentioned but it was not quite as joking as one would have assumed. The Queen of Saints was truly a strange woman but that didn't actually matter.

Artoria on the other hand, found herself and her love life as the main topic of conversation for herself and her knights. As always she would take their opinions under advisement. And it would seem that Lancelot understood the reason for Tristan's leave over a decade prior. "Yes, I also understand that part of it now... even with my own issues," she said carefully. If she were the type to be completely honest, the loss of their resident Archer and one of her closer knights had hurt Artoria's feelings just a tad, but that was why she left him the option of coming back if he wished. She'd never be opposed to the return of the Knight of Lamentation. To Lancelot's real question of his answering to multiple people, Artoria strangely had an answer. "Well, I am the Queen of Knights by title. You swore yourself to me, but even if you did not you would now and always answer to me first," she explained. "There is also still the matter of Arthur Pendragon but I will leave that decision to you. I am sure by the end there will be more than enough knights to go around for you to serve who you want," she answered honestly. Ah but her shining beacon in everything. The sunlight to mirror her own understanding of true darkness, Gawain had something pointed to say. The win of the Holy Grail and congratulatory statements should be what they were after. She'd done what she'd said she would do and was going to lift their kingdom to new heights. A small smile crept onto Artoria's face in that moment. 'I do not care what anyone says... that is my boy! Rie can eat that,' she mused happily. Yes. Gawain was definitely getting extra dessert or something to that effect. Agravain a few moments after their stare down with Gilgamesh, in hearing the full story and coming to a conclusion finally had something to say. "I agree with Gawain. You have done quite a bit my Queen, according to the Queen of Saints you also technically won the previous Holy Grail War, so the world has you to thank for the Holy Knights as well," Agravain's words came with the bowing of their head. The words to be shared later would be a bit less happy, but if the Queen was happy then Agravain could respect the King of Heroes, even while not liking him.

Toast offered, and toast accepted, Siegfried finally had his opportunity to taste of this ultimate wine. With only a single sip taken, he had to admit... it truly was the quality one would expect to offer the gods. That Golden King had his head far enough up his own arse, he could sniff his own beating heart... but with constant access to drinks so divine, surely he had some reason to think himself so high and mighty. "Goodness. Forgive me if I'm being rude, but I think sainting someone capable of making this would be something of a downgrade. This is something beyond humanity," he declared with a strange amount of certainty. Of course, he'd recently claimed something that may have actually been a bit rude. His eyes widened, and he thought to clarify. "No offense, of course! I don't mean to imply that you're any lesser, or anything."

Apparently, Artoria having her current title would mean all knights were subservient to her regardless of any previous allegiances. That was... a bit ridiculous, but also more sensible than anything else Lancelot ever heard. "Is that so? Lucky for everyone you received the title then, eh? I wouldn't want anyone else having that. You're expecting Arthur to be your brother still, yes? I guess that puts blondie at number 3 if that happens." Lancelot recalled mention of an Arthur Pendragon appearing someday, and he supposed he would be just as willing to serve him as he was to the Queen of Saints. That, however, was more a matter of their will being treated as an extension of his queen's own. Such would be the same treatment King Gilgamesh received, if Artoria pursued him at all.

Surprise, surprise. According to Agravain and their greater archive of knowledge from time spent in this realm, Artoria Pendragon had been the technical victor of the previous Holy Grail War as well. Since she felled the King of Heroes, that actually made perfect sense. It wasn't as if she would have come to blows with her sister or anything, so it was assumable they worked together. "Really? So then, we should all be returning to toast our queen's honor, shouldn't we? My Queen, is there anything else you care to share with us? I'm sure all this talk is an unnecessary stress, especially during a celebration meant for you."

A laugh escaped Jeanne at the reaction of Siegfried. Moreover his secondary explanation was almost enough to incite glee. "Bwahahaha!~ No, no, you're right. I feel like she deserves every title in the world though~" said Jeanne. Siduri was quite deserving of her own kind of pure and unadulterated worship. Jeanne was sure if this woman wanted to be worshiped as a goddess and many would become her patrons, Jeanne herself included. Whatever the case, Siduri was technically receiving exactly that already, simply by virtue of being praised for making such wine already.

Apparently, it was lucky that Artoria had the title she did. Both the Lady Kay and the Lady Galahad found such a power to be a bit outlandish but apparently one deserved by anyone who could claim a Holy Grail for themselves. The words of Lancelot made a small smile come to Artoria's face, that man was a bit too honest for his own good. As for what she expected from this word Artoria could do nothing but nod. "Yes, I expect the world to still provide my twin his place as he deserves it," she said this as if it was an absolute truth, but given she'd now seen two of her siblings she could at least make assumptions. Gawain seemed to take the news well enough, and the previous win of a Holy Grail was apparently something Artoria was being given credit for, a sigh escaped her. "Nothing else I can think of. Do try not to be too shocked about anything else though...it is still a party we should enjoy it," she offered those words even while knowing she hated these sorts of gathers. And with that she shoo'd everyone back inside and went along herself. The two lady knights and Agravain gave bows and once she reached inside there was a tiny cry. "Aunty!!!" A small blonde with green eyes in a peasant style dress came bounding towards Artoria with near reckless abandon. This would cause gazes to shift upon the Queen of Knights who would find herself opening arms to this lass to catch her in the air. She hadn't expected to see this one, but she supposed it was always possible. "Little Wolf, congratulations, you finished your training!" she said swinging the girl around with a happy smile on her face. "Of course I did, Sir Lancelot helped me, but that isn't important at all!" the small girl explained in the most animated fashion. This one reminded Artoria so much of her younger sister, she'd found herself easily attached to her. "Gareth, you shouldn't refer to our Queen in such a familiar way all the time," said Agravain who was trying not to be childishly jealous at the girl getting away with such a thing. "But, she is our Aunty, and she doesn't mind at all," the other girl said with a pout on her puffy little face.

"I can't really argue. I don't know this Siduri woman, though, so there's not much I can really say," Siegfried declared. With that, he took another sip of wine... and another... and another. It was delectable enough that he simply couldn't stop, and after all, this was a party. Alas, he thought badly of this indulgence. The knight had given his word that he'd act as a form of security here, so he couldn't really afford to drink very much. "Sadly, I'll have to limit myself to this one. I'll keep my wits about me, just incase."

Meanwhile, the Knights of the Round Table were ending their little meeting and returning to the ongoing event. Many cups were raised as Artoria passed by the partygoers, whether words were shared or not. Of the few who spoke, there was one young girl yelling "aunty" at the queen. Stray glances made their way back toward Artoria and the encroaching young knight. Included in those who looked their way, were the likes of Lancelot and Gawain, the latter of whom sighed even while smiling. "She is, Gareth, but Agravain is right. Our aunt is also our queen, and should be given her respectful title... at least in formal venues like this," Gawain offered in addition to Agravain's chiding. He was ever the spoiler with this young one, but apparently Artoria was no better─ if she wasn't somehow far worse. Regardless, Lancelot took pause to express another issue. In all these years, there was one thing he didn't realize at all. Gawain and Gareth were siblings, true. Gareth was the niece of Artoria; he came to understand this in recent times. Since when was Agravain related to any of them?! "Agravain? What does she mean our aunty?! You're in this too?!" he asked, seemingly aghast. Gawain began laughing immediately. How that never became obvious was amusing to him, but he supposed Agravain had always been very... different.

"If I see her around I'll introduce you. She's lovely!~" Jeanne only ever had pleasant things to say about the wine-maker, live assistant of the King of Heroes. Whatever the case, it would seem that Siegfried was a lot like the Queen of Knights in his perceived job duties to fun ratio. This of course, made Jeanne scoff, why? Because how could two people be so similar. "Sieg, you're no fun! It's a party and look my sister is smiling you have nothing to worry about~" she said happily. Of course, he didn't realize he'd already taken the first drink and the trap had been laid. By the end of the night she'd see him just as drunk and happy as she had her sister a decade prior. But, she realized in the something. "Wait, did that kid just call my sister Aunty?!" she said.

Meanwhile, Gareth was being scolded by both her older siblings about how she chose to address their aunt the Queen of Knights. "But but..." she was still pouting and Artoria found that adorable. "Leave Gareth alone. She finished her training and she is here. She can call me what she wants. She is right I do not mind," she said giving the child encouraging head pats before plucking her little cheeks. "But no pouting. You should still take the advice of your siblings to heart, they are looking out for you." she finished which had the young girl's face shift a bit but she smiled still. Before sticking her tongue out at Agravain about being told she could still call Artoria's title as she wished. Yes, the Queen of Knights well and truly spoiled children, and that was a thing of note even among the knights. One such knight seemed to not understand what was going on, and that was Lancelot who took issue with the idea that Agravain was part of the immediate family of the Queen of Knights. Gawain seemed to find this funny and Artoria realized why this was the case. Only they were soon being joined and it'd be better to get the whole of the explanation out of the way at once. "Wait wait, Aunty? Eri-nee is this kid your niece... our niece?!" there was near shock in Jeanne as she approached. But in the same moment she could see why Artoria was so nice to this child, it was pretty obvious this kid looked and behaved like Emi did, even to her. "Agravain, did you not see fit to inform the Queen of Saints that you were her niece while being in her care for five years?" Artoria asked, and to Agravain's credit the lass managed to look sheepish. "It did not come up in conversation, my Queen." she managed. "Niece?! Agravain is a girl?!" Jeanne was shocked. "No, more pressing question whose kids are these?" she asked this was a brave new world for the Queen of Saints. "They are Rie's kids. Gawain, Agravain, and Gareth..." Artoria explained. What a revelation, actually looking at Gawain that relation was obvious. He looked like a buffer version of her big brother, to Jeanne. But these other kids, and the idea that their elder sister was here and she hadn't seen her yet was surprising. "RIE-NEE IS HERE!?" Near outrage from the Queen of Saints. "Shit. I forgot to visit," the Lake Fairy said as Artoria pointed to her from this distance across the room.

"I'm sure she is, if you're speaking of her so highly," Siegfried replied, taking yet another swig of wine thereafter. Apparently, he was no fun for refusing the idea of additional drink. He looked toward the Queen of Knights when she was spoken of, and being easily convinced by Jeanne as he was, he was finding himself quickly considering at least a second cup. "Well..." he said. Ah, but that clause would not reach completion. Jeanne had become bothered by something: the address of her sister as "Aunty" by someone. How interesting it was that she didn't know about her own nieces or nephews. Perhaps there was a story behind it? Well, Siegfried would be finding out soon enough, as he followed suit and kept to the Queen of Saints' side.

When Jeanne and her apparently faithful night approached, a very interesting discussion was taking place indeed. Gareth was being allowed to address Artoria as she liked, even in such a would-be professional setting. Gawain expected this, and so did Lancelot. Of course, the former chuckled while the latter sighed. "You know, if not for overwhelming might, your image would be terrible by now," Lancelot commented. More pressing though, was the matter of Artoria's lengthening list of relatives. Who expected Agravain to be one of those siblings, considering their massive difference to the others? Siegfried had seen Agravain a few times in the past half decade; they had even trained together quite a few times. Apparently, some information about their identity had been left out when spending all that time in Jeanne's company... including the fact that she was a girl. He was trying to keep a steady expression when essentially meeting his girlfriend's sister and her crew, but Siegfried couldn't stop a snicker creeping through his nose. "Ahem. My apologies," he said. Meanwhile, Gawain was still laughing at it all as well, though there was one more name Jeanne required on the list of siblings. "And Gaheris. You know how he gets," he stated, knowing how rowdy the male younger than himself would be when hearing his name was left out.

Apparently everyone in Artoria's company knew she would cave to the child at her legs. Having placed Gareth on the ground the lass stayed clutched to Artoria's hip which the Queen of Knights seemed not to mind at all. Lancelot's words about how Artoria would be seen given how easily she folded on such matters made the Queen of Knights scoff at the very least. "I wish someone would say something about how I deal with my little ones. I would slaughter an entire country before I let such a thing change my life," Artoria said these words and meant them absolutely. Granted she was also proving Lancelot's point by saying that, but such a thing fell out of her mouth long before she could have censored it. "Eri-nee too violent!" Right, the Queen of Saints always being saintly. "Fine, fine. Less violent," Artoria held up her hands in surrender, such was about the only situation that could make her do so. Of course, the laughter of Siegfried surrounding the Agravain situation and Gawain who would always laugh at such things. Meanwhile Agravain managed to look absolutely bashful in such a moment. "I am a girl, yes. My apologies Queen of Saints, it slipped my mind that it would not be obvious," Agravain apologized hoping to avoid Artoria's wrath for being evasive. It was the one major sticking point the Queen of Knights had about her so she always tried to be good.

At the same time, Artoria now had her eyes on Siegfried and they hadn't moved since laying into him. The Queen of Knights found herself looking up at a rather beastly man. But that wasn't it, there was something about him that innately gave her the desire to fight. To battle him into submission. "I left Gaheris out for a reason. Emi, if you meet him. Beat him into submission immediately. No hesitation. It will save you from something that will annoy you more than I do," she said with a small smile reaching her face. Gaheris was one of the children who had the worst possible attitude. He needed a great deal of tempering, more so than any other. "Eri-nee you know I am not like that. Only you choose violence first," she said carefully. "You will change your mind about that considering your sticking points. Now then what is he," she said about Siegfried. "Oh, this is, Sieg." Jeanne said happily. Artoria had heard mentions of Sieg and now she was looking at him and then back to her sister and she was bordering upon furious but not for any normal reason. "What is the rest? His name is far too short... Look at him, that name is not sensible. Where is the rest of it!?" she said immediately. And Agravain for her part in this began inching away carefully. Oops, there was something else she'd forgotten to mention. "Agravain do not move." A chill went down the blonde lass' spine. She'd stared Gilgamesh in the eye almost unflinchingly but the order of the Queen of Knights put fear directly into her heart.

"Rie-nee no swearing and why haven't I seen you?!" she said looking genuinely hurt. The errant Lake Fairy made her way over with a hand rubbing the back of her head looking rather sheepish. "Look it kind of slipped my mind. But I didn't leave you alone or anything... you've been taking my advice for ages... what do you think your 'angels' actually are?" Vivian said carefully. The angels of Jeanne D'Arc were actually fae, connected directly to herself to share her messages about the future and give advice. She would always help her siblings even while being a bit aloof herself. "Too aloof. You should stop that, and why is Eri-nee raising your kids?!" she asked seeming to find it a strange arrangement. "Because my kids are all pretty powerful and need discipline and I don't not really have time to handle it. Besides, she is so much better at parenting than I can be. It's like one of her best qualities, disciplinarian with a spoiling streak~" said Vivian while opening her arms to her younger sister who would immediately bury herself into her arms. "Ah, there there, no need to be upset. You don't exactly need me or anything," she said.

As if to automatically prove Lancelot's point, violence was Artoria's immediate answer to even the idea of anyone saying anything negative about her behavior. "My point," was all he said in response. There was little else to address regarding that matter. Artoria was, and always had been, some sort of monster whose power and aggressiveness superseded any sort of attitude she could ever exemplify. If nothing else, she should be called a tyrant... And apparently one who had no problem advocating the preemptive assault on her own nephew. Gawain expressed minor shock and moderate amusement, and Lancelot showed only the latter.

Siegfried, however, stifled the coming laughter. He was under the Queen of Knights' scrutiny. It was oddly aggressive, and he, too, felt oddly aggressive. Aloud though, the woman chose to question his name... and existence? What is he, she said. What an interesting way to address a new person. Did he appear monstrous in form or spirit? Perhaps there was something else to it. Whatever the case, she determined that the name "Sieg" was far too short for him, for whatever reason she had. Since Jeanne was conveniently busy talking to her other sibling, he supposed the responsibility of awkward question answering rested on his shoulders. Oh well. A single step forward, and he bowed. "Siegfried is my full name," he said. His introduction was a humble one, but in full, he was hailed as the "Dragon-Blooded Knight" after driving a Holy Sword through the evil dragon Fafnir. He'd bathed in the dragon's blood, drank it even, and developed an invulnerability across his body from becoming Dragon Kind as a result. He was not one to openly talk about all of that, though─ especially given his Achilles' Heel-style weakness. "It's a pleasure, My Queen."

"I am aware of your point Lancelot," these were Artoria's words on the matter. She truly was a warlord at heart, might made right, as far as she was concerned. She was surely the type to beat anyone into submission if she needed to and ask questions later. Thus the words about her nephew Gaheris were likely less than surprising to her own knights who knew that particular young man. "Alright, but I will hear nothing about the nature of his mouth. I warned you," These were Artoria's words to the Queen of Saints. If Agravain had Artoria's original assassin disposition, Gaheris had the mouth she couldn't allow herself, and with it the attitude of a teen boy in the midst of puberty. Whatever while Jeanne was being babied properly by her big sister, Artoria was confronted by Sieg. Oh he had real name as it was Siegfried. That was a bit better, still with her eyes on this man she truly wanted nothing more than to fight. Even so, his introduction came with a certain amount of truth that Artoria could not be mad about.

Artoria's scrutiny was physically palpable, but eventually at a bowed introduction only that small smirk she was known for seemed to come from her face. "I see... that is more sensible then. It is nice to meet you." she said ever so carefully. But then there was something else. Artoria was no stupid being she understood the way her sister talked about this man, though she never felt any such inclination herself. She'd sent Argavain to check on the Queen of Saints and assure her safety and this seemed exactly like the sort of thing that should have been brought to her attention. "Agravain, you've known about this for the duration of this decade and felt no need to mention it?" she asked of the girl. That chill Agravain felt had developed into full panic. The blonde lass was sweating bullets and the tips of her two index fingers were tapping together in the most obvious showing that she was a girl in all of her physical characteristics. "I... uh... found... um rather. I was aware of this information my Queen. Sir Siegfried is a very capable individual and moreover the Queen of Saints has him at her beck and call. She truly couldn't be safer unless she was in your care directly," Agravain managed, even while her heart was practically beating out of her chest. The fact that she had such good things to say about the man set Artoria at ease in spite of her own need to dominate as a dragon. The fact that there had been almost a half decade gap where she could have found this out, made the look on Artoria's face shift. "Oh? That is high praise from you Agravain, I wonder what I must do to make sure such things of this magnitude never slip your mind again?" There was a question and Artoria's eyes had lost the energy of the moment, and Agravain knew the Queen of Knights would be putting her through the ringer even if she hadn't said those exact words. "Shit! She's going to kill me. I'm sorry Aunty..." she started which only made Artoria seem to loom quite a bit as her had reached out to pat the other blonde's head. It was such a sweet gesture but it came with full menacing eye contact. "Enjoy your night, Agravain." What a threat such kind words were. Agravain was about to experience physical torture the likes of which those who knew in this world immediately folded under. She knew that the morning would bring the full force of the Queen of Knights upon her for this oversight, she might as well be flogged. All the while Jeanne finally looked back. "Language! Eri-nee, I don't know if a threat like that counts as parenting, but no dead eyes directed at kids." Jeanne said, Agravain flinched and bowed a second time. It was far too late for such a thing. Agravain was feeling despair. "No, no... this is peak parenting. It's great!" said Vivian who also looked at Siegfried carefully. "You missy, have a lot of explaining to do though because this is a beast of a man~" she said shifting all teasing attention towards Jeanne instead of her own daughter. Such would be the only help Vivian could offer her eldest daughter. Agravain had sparking scarlet eyes of her emotional discontent, but felt well loved even knowing her punishments were coming swiftly.

Even two individuals who felt naturally inclined to combat one another could be cordial in a moment of meeting. At least, this proved to be the case between Artoria and Siegfried. He still felt strangely, though. There was a nervousness about Siegfried, just under the surface and brought about not by the queen's standing, but by her relationship to one Jeanne d'Arc. Speaking of relationships with the Queen of Saints, it seemed the one Siegfried maintained with the woman was rather clear to her sister. Given the discussion between Artoria and Agravain, Siegfried was left more nervous and rubbing the back of his neck. Was he being reduced to a schoolboy this day? It certainly seemed like he was picking up a date, having to deal with her parents and so on. He couldn't be sure if the Queen of Knights was giving her approval or still sizing him up, but he didn't enjoy this phase of waiting for no answer. "I uh..." What could he even say? It felt as if judgment was upon him, yet there was an ongoing discussion of a very violent nature (even if somewhat hidden) occurring between the likes of Artoria and Agravain. Could he even insert himself? Would that be a good idea? Why wasn't Jeanne backing him up here?! Siegfried was the largest, most physically intimidating man in the room, bar none... and here he was about to have a mental breakdown over the observations of a small girl. What would his solution be? Well, he'd start by bowing again. "This seems to be a rather meaningful family gathering. I'll be taking my leave for now," he said. It was probably best to just move away from this whole scene, right? Yes, that sounded like a grand idea within the dragon slayer's head. . .

Artoria's eyes went back to the hulking man before her. Her younger sister was always a bit strange, but this was outlandish. Of course, given the words of Agravain and her younger sister's own obvious interest she had no actual qualms with Siegfried. Well, aside from that nagging desire to fight him, but she could put that off for a while at least. Besides all that she could see him for what he was, her newest developed hidden skill meant that she fully understood this man's intention, it was hardly worth the extra introduction aside from torturing her younger sister a bit for putting her through so much so recently. "What? What do I need to explain. He's Sieg we talked about this..." Jeanne said to Artoria as if she knew what was going on here and it wasn't worth discussing. "No. No. Sieg is the name of a squire that gets beaten up by his peers and is bullied at every turn. That... is not what that is. That needs a few more syllables, and a title or two..." Artoria said which made the eyes of Jeanne sparkle. "You cannot fight him, Eri-nee," she said with a swift nod of her head. "Of course I cannot, yet. Everyone seems to have taken up the idea of disarming me when I need to behave like I do not have a weapon to draw if I want to," she said the Queen of Knights was practically pouting. "Well, as long as you understand I am not giving you Excalibur until this party is over," Vivian said seemingly pleased with herself. "I still have a weapon. Two if I am feeling it. Do not test me, Fae Princess," she said to her elder sister. Ah, Artoria was coming back into a face that was closer to one which should belong to her base personality. That seemed to be good news, right? But Siegfried himself, seemed content to disappear from the sight of the Queen of Knights. Ah, Artoria, would she torture this man today? She could, but... he was so obviously out of sorts she couldn't actually enjoy doing something like that. After all, she'd been so recently in the same position herself, she'd actually feel a bit guilty doing such a thing to another. "If that is the case I assume you should be here, but... As you like, Siegfried," she offered which was about as free as one like Artoria could be with her approval. She still wished to fight him, but she could hold that off for later.

"Oh? He won over Eri in seconds. You should probably marry him~" mentioned Vivian which made the Queen of Saints blush drastically. "You can't just say things like that!" she exclaimed. That exact reaction made Artoria smile, truly something radiant and blinding enough for her sisters to find it amusing as well. Whatever the case her sisters approving of the man she liked was important to Jeanne regardless of everything else. So it could be called a win for the day. She'd even managed to avoid a fight and let the man keep his dignity this day, that was great. The only thing she couldn't do was save Agravain from her training nor do anything in particular about Artoria's brand of parenting. "You had any wine yet? You should... I mean it is your celebration after all~" these were Jeanne's words to Artoria, of course they were the first real words the girl gave her sister and Artoria could only shrug. "Well, I technically had two before getting here, but if it is my party I might as well have a good time," she said which was enough for Vivian to look at the lass with a raised brow. Where did she get two drinks before she got here, hm?