Page 134 of 178 FirstFirst ... 3484124132133134135136144 ... LastLast
Results 1,331 to 1,340 of 1773

Thread: Finis Chaldea

  1. #1331
    Scoff. That was about all Gilgamesh could do in response to Artoria's initial comeback. There was even an accompanying twitch of the brow and eyelid, much to the point of his annoyance. "Enough of this," he spoke flatly. Moving right along, his once-preferred hairstyle was still a matter of contention. She harbored no jealousy, eh? Interesting. With narrowed eyes and a smirk most pompous, he shot a glance in the bathing queen's direction. "Then I shall restore the harem, and we shall see where your frustration is pointed. It should be nothing to assemble a few dozen of Mesopotamia's finest wenches just to see your reaction," he said, interestingly without truth despite the ease by which his words were delivered. In modern times, even a hedonist of Gilgamesh's caliber found such a thing infinitely boring compared to his true goal, but... he was always on the lookout for certain kneejerk reactions from this particular woman.

    Such a reaction was given, in fact, when he declared the inevitability of their marriage. Was it so rude that fate had been decided? Not one bit, the king thought. "Nonsense. I could have easily seen us wed over a thousand years ago without your consent. This is the long game, and I will play it until the last grain of sand falls. Your consent will be the mark of my victory," he rambled. Gilgamesh had never been a very patient individual, but some thousand years ago, he discovered how worthwhile a bit of additional perseverance could be. It would all be worthwhile one day. The only question was: When was that day to be?

    Apparently, that swinging pendulum was affixed to the lungs and composure of Gilgamesh at one end. As it swung, he drank, until that imaginary structure beamed the king and caused the spewing of wine into their bathwater. He coughed only twice, refusing to be steered away from his own outburst. "You WHAT?! Who discovered those damned tablets?! I'll have that dominatrix's head if she translated a single word!"

  2. #1332
    Enough of this? Never. There was quite a bit of fun to be had in biting conversation. In truth, Artoria quite often went without such things, what with Merlin being all but missing the last thousand years her only reprieve had been the comebacks of one like Lancelot. Not that she minded him in anyway but she found this sort of conversation just as much fun as she found teasing that one about his near death experience at her hands. Ah, but it would seem the Queen of Knights struck a nerve with the King of Heroes. And words fell from his mouth as she shot her a pompous look which before her eyes were strange. 'A lie?' Strange... was he trying to goad her into a reaction? Did he truly think her so easily roused? Well the answer to that particular question was both yes and no. And her reply to his antics would simultaneously cover both parts of such a thing. Though her own face did not change those flickering flames behind her eyes, seemed to shift a bit. He was hers and if that was the truth then he wasn't simply allowed to get away with thinking he could give himself away. "Oh? That is new... I did not expect that," she said seeming to be thinking over the reaction but in truth she was simply surprised it'd been so clear to her that he was lying about his intentions. Whatever the case, she had but one query to pose which would cement her thoughts on this. "Are we both collecting harems then? If you would have yours I would have one too..." she said with a sly grin.

    What other ridiculous thing did the King of Heroes have to say this day? Her consent would be a mark of his victory even as time past. He could have seen them married a thousand years ago without her consent but this was not how he would attain victory? Strange words coming from one like him. She probably would have fought him furiously over such a thing as marrying her when it was not something she wished. He surely realized that but he'd been patiently waiting nonetheless she could not fault his newfound virtue regardless of how he found himself there. "I am not one to argue how one finds their virtues. Victory is normally something claimed exclusively by me... but I suppose I am not opposed to sharing a sentiment like that with you... A worthy opponent I will remain." that was another shy little admission. One which had greater meaning than even she would realize considering what she was.

    And then it happened. That last bit of composure he lost as he found out she knew the depths of his childhood. First of all, their shared bath was showered in a spray of wine and he coughed twice to get to the point of his outrage. "Bwaha...haha....Hahahahaha~" the sound of melodious laugher would fill this room. "You can do no such thing. I will not allow it. I was here seven years, and had to know how I ended up corralling a bunch of wayward bawling kings. Your childhood adventures were the easiest avenues of finding such things out. Besides it allowed me to figure out how I would deal with everyone and I ended up having a fairly easy time keeping them all in check while you were gone," she said seeming to think back on her time spent ruling over Uruk as pleasant even though he hadn't been there.

  3. #1333
    A lie, indeed. What would be the reaction of Artoria, whose eyes saw through deception? It was a simple rebuttal, one stating a lack of expectancy. What followed, though, was something more... teasing? Yes, that was one way to put it. True enough, fairness would dictate that one party possessing a harem would entitle the other to such a thing. Kings and queens each having concubines, or even harems, was no strange thing... especially in such a land that hailed sex as a sacred thing. "If you believe for a single moment that any person in this world could satisfy you in my absence, then I fully welcome you to try assembling as many as you can," he stated, brandishing a roguish grin of his own. "All would fail to compare, and in the wake of proving their deficiency, they will be rendered fully incapable by one of endless methods. But, still, you would be allowed your attempts."

    Ever the individual who kept himself high above all others, the king was truthfully open about the idea of Artoria Pendragon's harem, even in lieu of his own. To seek such a thing, however, was tantamount to professing the king's incompetence; that could not be allowed to stand. Artoria went on to claim sole ownership of victory, albeit with a willingness to share the concept just once. "H'oh? It isn't as if you are left with a choice. Once my decision has been made, all of creation will fall in line. Even now, I am still claiming victory over your body, and you may even be unawares."

    The tablets containing stories of Gilgamesh's youth were never to be seen. That they were found, even read, was nigh unacceptable. Why stories of his childhood were far too early to receive his approval when written, so naturally, he despised most of them. "Pointless. If it was guidance you sought, the tale of my becoming Lugal is readily available throughout Uruk. The musings of some random mongrel observing a child are not epics befitting a great king at all! You'd do best to remove that dribble from your memory with haste," he said in a huff, gulping down wine in the aftermath.

  4. #1334
    What would Gilgamesh say to the idea of Artoria's harem? Oh... he had no problem with it. Or rather, he pompously claimed that she would find no one to satisfy her needs. His claim was that she could make her attempts and then those who failed would be rendered incapable by whatever means. Oh? He was threatening people wasn't he? Yes, definitely that. Not her, not what she could potentially want, but being somewhat possessive... as arrogantly as one could be such a thing. "Sou..." another language slip, probably from the use of mental skills the Queen of Knights did not accept as part of her mentality. "I wondered briefly where you would go after uttering that untruth. I understand now..." she said taking in that slightly roguish smile which belonged to the King of Heroes. Hm, she did kind of like that... "I would not put anyone in danger simply to spite you. I would much rather just stab you directly for every kind of annoyance you present and take out the in-between. No harm need come to anyone else," that was the magnanimity of the Queen of Knights in a nutshell. "Besides, I decided a long time ago only you were worthy of even the attempt," she said as the absolute fact that it was. She had no real interest in other people, most people did not even register as beings which could be points of sexual desire. They were beneath her notice, only the King of Heroes could have her attention and she was certain of this even now.

    Apparently, there were many things that Gilgamesh could claim and one of them was victory over the body of one Artoria Pendragon. Accordingly, Artoria could only chuckle just a little. "I do not fall in line with anything I do not wish. I am quite curious though, what do you think I am unaware of?" she questioned seemingly genuinely. She had no idea what he was getting at presently, but hearing the random things he said was always worthwhile one way or another.

    Oh, his problem with the tales of his childhood was that they were observed by normal people and did not offer him enough of the reverence he sought. Another laugh escaped Artoria in this moment. As if something like that was reason enough. "It is not as if I would have sat still to read an epic poem about a child acting like a child, even you. I found those stories cute, maybe you cannot enjoy them because you take yourself too seriously~" she said with a knowing smirk. "I also read the tale of how you became Lugal but that alone was not too different from reading about myself... strange though it is to admit," Artoria said seeming a bit sheepish about the subject. True enough the tales of young Artoria Pendragon were quite similar to ones of Gilgamesh. They truly were very similar people and their separate tales playing out similarly as well, including being part of a rebellion against the powers that be and changing the status quo quite a bit. Whatever the case, she was willing to let this man off the hook as there was nothing wrong with the tales of his childhood and they did a great deal of work to make him seem like less of a jerk than other tales did.

  5. #1335
    Whereas Gilgamesh would end lifestyles, or even lives of the hypothetical harem of Artoria Pendragon, the woman herself would instead target him directly with her ire? Yes, that made sense. More sensible however, was the idea that no other person could be considered worthy of aiming for Artoria. He'd been saying that sort of thing all along; it was quite refreshing to hear her finally admit it as well. With all she said, that was naturally the thing he would focus on when responding. And, of course, his response would be no less haughty than anything else he said. "Fuhahaha! So, you've finally come to understand the truth? Fear not, my impossible queen. I declare that just as none may compare to Gilgamesh, no other is worthy of his attention," he explained. None could take his place attached to this woman's soul by his own declaration, and in just the same way, no other could be affixed to him. These two things were to be the law of reality as well.

    In a matter of moments, Gilgamesh's grail was emptied of its remaining wine. He'd see it refilled almost immediately while mulling over his alleged victory. Truly, Artoria didn't seem to realize what he was getting at. "My victory is clear. The mark has already been made. As such, it would be no issue to set you off at any given moment... now that your body is no longer ignorant of what it desires. Have you come to understand this, or must I prove yet another thing to you this day?"

    Even as a child, Gilgamesh should have only epic poems as tales of his endeavors. Few would understand this, and it seemed Artoria was not among those few. Cute, she called the stories of his youth. Well... yes, of course he was the most adorable child ever! That was hardly the point! "Incredible though I was as a child, there are atrocities among those tales that should never see the light of day. Would you have every foolish moment of your youth recorded in history for the whole world to see? Mine is the tale of a boy destined to be king. Yours would be... what? The girl who became king, or the boy who became queen? Perhaps that is a matter of perspective, but the point stands. As king, I shall forever stand above humanity. Humanizing moments are not how one achieves such a thing."

  6. #1336
    The laugh. Once again, a sound which she found both annoying and heart-warming. At least it was a sign this conversation was about to take a turn in an interesting direction. What direction? Well, it seemed that the King of Heroes had another grand declaration. He questioned whether she finally understood the truth of the lack of worth applied to other individuals. Her eyes widened at this statements. In exchange for that minor lie about a harem she was given a truth so large she did not know what to do with it. Her face reddened immediately. 'That is way too honest. Still like it though, it feels kind of warm and tingly,' she had that thought and pressed a hand against her forehead. "Ridiculous." A singular word which was nothing to the depths of the things she thought. "I never said I did not understand this in the first place..." she mentioned seeming to be a bit huffy. That was true. Never had the Queen of Knights even implied that she thought anyone else would be interesting at her side, she simply never understood what her interest in Gilgamesh was. And this of course made sense given she found him annoying and audacious. It was clear as anything else that they could be considered at least suited for each other from an outside perspective. As long as one ignored their constant biting conversation. But even that was quite soft if one was capable of interpreting the language of both of the individuals present.

    Beyond this point, it would seem that Gilgamesh had quite a few things left to say. What was first? The claim that the mark of his victory had already been left on her. The mention that apparently now that her body knew what it desired it would be easy to set her off at any point. He even made provocations towards this point which made those eyes turn back to him once more. "You live to challenge me, of this I am certain..." she said these words but evaded his question. This was unintentional but complicated as a response from Artoria. She was technically speaking aware of her altered thought patterns and a strange shift in her own desires. She needed no real proof of this given the thoughts she'd had before they began this bath and breakfast. Of course having such a thought only made her eyes move about a bit more. She could look right? There was nothing wrong with that. A man as confident as he, sitting around naked probably expected to be looked upon more often than not. She still did not understand her attraction, but she'd admit it was there... in her own mind at least.

    Apparently, Gilgamesh took issue with the idea of all of his childhood embarrassments being recorded for posterity. Artoria simply could not relate, on either level for various reasons at least a few of them she could explain. As for her tale, it could truly be taken either way though she was certain a few people would see it in very specific ways. "I can understand not wanting all of ones follies on record. But I am also a bit... numb to that as a major issue. I grew up twice with siblings and once with an annoying damnable old mage so I can say honestly way too many people know entirely too much about all of the random mishaps of both of my childhoods," she explained of herself. "I understand why they are not a part of your public face but they are still good parts..." she said affirmatively. Thinking about it, she appreciated his more humanized aspects just as much as his outrageous and powerful moments. Oh and on the matter of her tales she supposed she did have something to say about them. "I would say my tale is something like, the second princess becomes a stable hand only to have some random lake fairy and an old wizard decide she should be queen but only after toppling the patriarchy, by becoming a man..." she said of her tale. The contradictions of her own tale notwithstanding that would be how she summarized it.

  7. #1337
    Another victory. Any time the face of Artoria Pendragon became reddened with fluster, Gilgamesh marked another triumph in his mental records. So little effort went toward this one; he'd only spoken a truth they had been teetering around for some time now. Even Artoria herself spoke of her prior understanding, or rather... she denied not understanding it before. "You needn't say a thing. The truth is spread across the sky just as this great land of Chaldea is. Many shall know of it, but only the chosen few may truly internalize it. You will take your place as the ultimate queen, and none shall even think of raising their heads. Your jealousy will have no cause of action, as there will be none attempting to stand between you and the king your mind, body and soul will seek~"

    Gilgamesh spoke as if he saw a certain future, but it remained something inferred from that single vision all those centuries ago. Even 'glorious' Ishtar paled in comparison to the physical specimen he'd witnessed then. Such brilliance, even the King of Heroes was blinded by the premonition of it. Damned be the thought of him seeking anything less than that perfect being, and damned be the thought of anyone else thinking themselves worthy of seeking the same. One could say Gilgamesh lived to challenge Artoria, but he would say something quite different. "We've been over this, have we not? My life's purpose is not to challenge you, but to possess you as my greatest accomplishment. It is to ruin your very perception of satisfaction, and to become the beacon of light in a world of obsidian, as you have made yourself under my scrutiny. Be certain of that."

    Numb to the concern of childhood stories was Artoria Pendragon. Raised as a killer for hire once, and turned into a boy to become king the second time, Gilgamesh could not be surprised how things turned out. "You are numb to a great many things. Many of them will reach you yet," he said between wine sips. Her tale was one of interest, no matter the angle. "The girl, who became a boy, who became king, who became queen, who shall become queen once again," he mused, tacking on the future scenario he'd been harping about for ages. "One wonders when you will be open to taking the final step. You've already dressed for the occasion~"

  8. #1338
    He wouldn't stop. Artoria was already embarrassed, she barely knew how to contain it. And the more Gilgamesh spoke the redder her face became. She needed him to stop speaking as quickly as possible. How did she accomplish this though? Right at the moment she had both hands on the side of her face and was trying desperately to find a set of words that could make him stop talking. "You are truly trying to embarrass me to death. Stop saying such things with a straight face!" she demanded. Lies were easier to tolerate than hearing his man factually state exactly how high the podium he placed her on was.

    At the same time, Artoria was a person who lived in her present... and technically in her past as well. She did not think of her future, she had no thoughts about attaining a different sort of being. She knew not what Gilgamesh saw nor why he sought her to fulfill his particular pining. She simply found it endearing in someway, regardless of all the pomp and circumstance normally surrounding his speech. He claimed he was not around to challenge her but to do something else entirely. She paused once more looking at his man to hear words from him of what he thought of doing with himself in her life. All of that was a lot of words for him to claim he wanted to be the light in her life, in a manner similar to how he saw her. "That? That is what you see yourself doing? Really?!" she was almost outraged. Those were goals, strange ones. Ones connected to her, ones which seemed to center around her. She liked that but why? She did not doubt his motivations she could hardly bring herself to given his ridiculous but honest claims. Why would he do this... and that weird feeling in her chest seemed to happen again. She didn't like feeling things what was he making her feel now?

    According to Gilgamesh she was numb to many things but some would reach her yet. She leaned her head back and sighed. "I am not sure I need that at all..." she mumbled. She wasn't displeased at all, it was just a lot. But things surrounding Gilgamesh always felt outlandish. A scoff escaped her soon after. Her tale was pretty much exactly as described, weird though it was she didn't dislike it. And she could have only imagined it going about two other ways besides that. What was this about her being dressed to take a role though? "How am I dressed for anything?" Artoria asked that question as a reflex wondering if she'd missed something in the quiet ponderings of her mind as she considered that this man seemed hellbent on making her experience embarrassment every time they spoke.

  9. #1339
    If Artoria wished for him to stop saying such things with a straight face, she could receive her wish. Alas, it would not at all match her actual desire. He would not stop saying things like that at all, as a matter of fact, but he would be magnanimous enough to do exactly as she demanded. "As you wish," he said. Another sip ensued, followed by an expression that should truly be accompanied by laughter. He didn't laugh; he only spoke further. "Know that when nothing stands between us, you may want to consider employing a healer for your loins. The day you are complete, I believe even my resolute self will be without composure!" he said. Well, he didn't exactly have what one could call a 'straight face' when he spoke again. Demand met.

    Indeed, Gilgamesh saw himself doing exactly as he said. Perhaps it was a ridiculous notion─ even a pointless one when compared to other things one in his position could do. None of that mattered. He'd even leave the world to solve its own problems if that happened to be the only path to the king's personal salvation. "It is a thing you surely understand well. To choose a singular goal for oneself, and to chase that goal to the end of all creation. There is no greater thrill, no hunt more riveting than one of sheer desire. Never have I dealt in mediocrity, but even I find myself seeking something unexpectedly opulent."

    Artoria's needs were always in question. Given the way she viewed herself, he doubted she thought of herself as needing anything... bar the basics of living, of course. There was that strange need of a weapon in most cases, but that was of no true importance. Oh well; her needs were for Gilgamesh to consider! Artoria's consideration should instead be for how she'd dressed properly without knowing. She wasn't quite onboard yet, it seemed. Another smirk appeared on Gilgamesh's face, this one accompanied by a chortle. "You are dressed in the most appropriate manner you've ever been. Treat this final step not as one that involves crossing a threshold, but instead having yours crossed by none other than myself. Surely you've not forgotten already. We've spent the whole night thus far making that very journey, and here you are, fully equipped for another trip. I suppose some venues are worth vacationing to immediately following the first arrival, no?"

  10. #1340
    ...

    Artoria had been very specific in how she'd chosen to rebuke the King of Heroes. She'd essentially told him to stop making audacious claims with a straight face. The truth of her words was that she meant for him to stop saying things which caused her embarrassment. These words were addressed however in a very different way. He smiled and expressed the single most ridiculous sentiment he'd expressed so far. She'd need a healer when she was finally complete, he would not be able to control himself. Oh no. She knew far too much now about what he meant saying such words. Her own legs were currently barely functional by her own standards. She'd felt the tighteness of her loins and the sensation of breaking. If something were to be worse she was certain she was not here for it. Besides all of that a lack of control from Gilgamesh implied a frenzy she was quite certain she should never be the cause of. Her face reddened. She stared at him as if he'd grown an additional head. She opened her mouth to speak and closed it without finding the words to express her shock. And finally she simply turned her body and rested her head against the edge of the bath hoping to sink into the rocks and out of sight. She was sure her entire body had gained several degrees of heat. She was sure that blush that plastered her face reached to the tips of her ears and down to the base of her neck. "This is worse. I do not know how... but it is. I can not be mad, because he did what I said, but I just cannot," she said these words aloud so very quietly. Like she was speaking to the stones. She was certain if she was any more embarrassed she could have sunk into these stones and disappeared. Maybe if she thought about it long enough she'd develop the ability.

    Ah, but she was in a bath having a conversation. What else was there to discuss? Apparently there was the idea that she understood the notion of chasing ones own desire as far as you possibly could. She could understand that yes. She was a person who spent her formative years as an assassin. In doing that, when given the opportunity she decided she wanted to die as something other than a killer and devoted the entirety of her being to that exact quest. Caring only to grasp the end of her journey with both hands. These breaks before the end had been eating away at her. Was her retirement plan wrong? Did it count as the kind of goal she made it, if she somehow continued living afterward? And why? Why was she this sort of goal for Gilgamesh. "I understand the premise better than most..." she said in general. That is all she could say. She'd made a promise not to be too hard on herself all the time, so the fact that she did not understand his obsession with her was something she'd leave alone for the most part.

    But then the last bit. She was dressed for the crossing of her own threshold. Given the way they'd been carrying on for the night? Oh. It was innuendo. The fire returned to her face even as her body began to sink under the water she could feel the difference between herself and the water and it felt cool by comparison. "Why did you mean it like that?!" shock came back as she snapped back up after her body had sunk in to eye level. "You really cannot help yourself!" she claimed herself with a hand over her face that went all the way to her hair, including that one lock that popped up immediately after being touched. "You are trying to shock me into unconsciousness..." she said. Oh, now she was standing, pointing seemingly without even the ability to feel properly embarrassed for her current level of nudity. Why did he do this? Why wasn't she just embarrassed by his words. She did not mind that she was being propositioned, she just felt strangely about missing the point initially. It was a strange thing to feel so suddenly after everything else.

Page 134 of 178 FirstFirst ... 3484124132133134135136144 ... LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •