Finis Chaldea

[Bloodedge]

If she wished to give more consideration to the difference between a king and his horse, she could do so. There was but a single true answer after everything settled; he wondered if she would reach it in the end. Spoon in hand, he let pass the idea of Artoria's immediate answer. She went on to place her order, so to speak, demanding a surprising quantity of food from the cloth. Well... it would be best to call it a surprising lack of food, considering her previous eating habits. "H'oh? On a diet today, are we?" he quipped while taking up his first bite of stew.

The debate continued. Not only did Artoria know nothing of the identity they spoke of; she rebuked its existence as part of herself. She could believe the existence of such a thing was strange, but she would only be allowed to harbor that belief for a limited time. He'd have his way, and she'd come to embrace that side of herself. Perhaps she would even push it forward willingly one day, but alas... it was all a matter of time. "You cannot accept what you cannot understand. Leave the understanding part in my capable hands, and you will see all the benefits of succumbing to true bliss," he declared. One might wonder what Artoria believed she was saying thereafter. Did she mean to imply handling that "sword" with mastery was something she intended to do as her current self? If she even entertained the idea, he was not upset about it. There was even a chuckle passing Gilgamesh's lips as the notion entered his mind. "Is that so?" he said thereafter. "Then you've nothing to fear, as time is something I offer you in spades. Learn to wield your ultimate tool, O' Swordswoman of Albion, and it will master wielding you in kind."

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh spoke on the lack of food being eaten by Artoria, instead of their previous conversation. She supposed most of the time she was eating large quantities of food. Even now, she was considering more... but it was of little consequence. "I am not on a diet. It is early, I made myself a large breakfast after training..." she said with a chuckle. "That was only the first course. I just meant to go for balance initially then eat whatever I still had a taste for," she explained of her own eating habits. In truth, she could hear her nephew making a mild complaint about her adding extra things to meals that she wished to eat. Or one of her other knights who cooked simply giving into everything else. "Lamb chops, potatoes, rice, steamed carrots and pork chops," There was a high quantity of food to be eaten and she would undertake it without fail. It wasn't as if she'd do anything but eat when she was ready to do so.

Once again, Artoria would be told she needn't understand something. It was becoming rather common for people to give her that sort of explanation. She'd continue eating and take it at face value. It wasn't as if Gilgamesh was the type who wouldn't do exactly as he said. Beyond that it wasn't as if she truly worried about this in between version of herself either. "Fine, though that does seem to make it so more of me is in your care..." she said seeming to think about it as she downed more food. It was always strange to her that he managed to not really comment on such things. She was definitely always hungry enough to eat whatever she wished to, and even now, she was mostly eating things simply because she thought of and had a taste for them at random. That last sentence passing the lips of the man beside her got a lighthearted response initially. "Oh? You did actually take it that way. That is probably good..." she took a great pause. Her face reddened immediately, she'd been wondering if he'd taken her words as flirting and was pleased he did but then she thought it about it a bit deeper. Her previous statement had been in the moment without thinking too much, 'Wait wait wait, did I just accidentally flirt? Successfully!?' she'd go on to touch two fingers to her forehead before moving back to finish eating. No need to be both embarrassed and hungry.

[Bloodedge]

Ah, so this was only the first wave of multiple─ or at least two. With Artoria's next list of foods, her ridiculous appetite seemed perfectly in order. At the very least, there was no reason to believe she'd lost her appetite to a state of worry, or some nonsense like that. He was going to enjoy his own meal at a leisurely pace regardless, wanting nothing beyond the single bowl of stew he'd acquired. "To think there is a thing even you find yourself indulging in," he commented.

There was but a single thing worthy of Gilgamesh pausing his meal. That thing happened to be Artoria claiming more of herself would wind up in his care. That was quite incorrect, he thought. Had she yet to understand fully what he meant? "Do not mistake my intentions. There was never a part of you, past present or future, that would go unclaimed by me. That something would exist as a part of you, makes it a treasure of the highest caliber. Being a treasure means it is something to be acquired by none other than Gilgamesh." Gilgamesh was not the type to lie, yet still, there were hardly truer words to be spoken by the Golden King himself. As surely as he would possess all things in the world, he would possess all aspects of Artoria Pendragon. As for the "goodness" of how he took her previous words, there was much room to take her follow-up as further confirmation. Indeed, Artoria had successfully and accidentally flirted, but how prepared was she for the aftermath of that same victory? They'd soon find out the answer. "Good, is it? Hmph. I suppose it is, if your desire is to train with a new form of sword while holding to that stern expression. I must admit, that is one thing I may have an interest in seeing from the likes of you."

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh apparently thought it interesting that Artoria managed to indulge in her food. In all honesty she did not see it fully as an indulgence, she would clarify this point in a moment. "I do not see it fully as an indulgence. I always eat around the same quantity of food. The only indulgence here is eating random things I feel like consuming instead of simply whatever is cooked. Well, except breakfast, I get away with cooking my own breakfast because I wake before everyone else," she stated factually. In all honesty, if she really wanted to push the issue she likely could, but she put her knights through a lot when it came to both training and her random outings, so she gave them their reign in the kitchen. Still she took a moment to gaze from the corner of her eye at the man sitting next to her a bit confused by his choice. "Should you not be eating more? How do you maintain that muscle while grazing?" she was almost outraged. Even in this world there was in most cases an effect that food could have on the body and growth of an individual. Regardless she was rather easily making it through her own food seeming only to pause to speak and switch dishes.

Ah, her statements would not go unchallenged or uncorrected. Gilgamesh even paused his own meal, to make another grand declaration. Or rather, he aimed to clarify her understanding of that situation. There was another pause in Artoria's consumption as she was left to stare at this man. His claim was simply that he would lay claim to everything about her... past, present and future? That she was treasure in all aspects and thus all aspects of her were his to claim? Several blinks occurred in a moment like this. How was she supposed to respond to such statements? Why were such words the truth? "You really stopped eating just to let flowers fall out of your mouth," that was what she said but her gaze finally averted and her face was red. He lived to do this to her, of this she was certain. Still, she did not dislike the words he said in anyway, perhaps because she knew they were honest they weren't just baseless and anger inspiring. She seemed to be some kind of sucker for emotional honesty. Speaking of honesty, a bit more was coming from the King of Heroes in this moment. He responded to her short external musing with words about if she wanted to train with her new 'sword' with her expression, he wished to see it. "I suppose you would like that... I cannot begin to fathom why but I was told not to question all things." That statement was somewhere between surrender and general acknowledgement. She'd likely end up in the hole dealing with this man all the time, but she definitely wouldn't be giving herself any unnecessary handicaps. No, this man was to be faced for as long as she could manage it, which wasn't very long at all now that her bowl of rice was empty. Done with that what would she have next. "Butterscotch pudding!" Dessert. Always get dessert.

[Bloodedge]

"H'oh?" Gilgamesh leaned forward, elbows resting atop the table as his fingers laced together before his face. He seemed to be in a state of interest, or perhaps curiosity. "You say because it is the status quo in your own situation, it is not indulgence? That is a statement from my own mouth," he insisted. The fine line between the extravagant and the mundane existed only between the perspectives of the observer and the observed respectfully. Perhaps one reality wasn't meant to comprehend the mannerisms and functionality of a parallel one. For instance, while Artoria consumed enough food for an army, Gilgamesh ate only a small portion. How then, did he maintain his form? "Perfectly," he said with a grin. Just as she remained unchanging when engorging herself, he would remain in this flawless form simply because it had to be. "A pointless question. My form is perfect, and perfection can never be less than itself."

Once more, his words would have a visual effect on the queen. These were the moments worth savoring, so of course, it was worth stopping his meal over. "I stopped eating to leave you stunned and speechless, yes. It should be no surprise that this is the order of priority. The same could be said of your preoccupation with overcoming the other side of you. I should say, it is my prerogative to experience both parts. It would even be no issue to do so simultaneously. But, I will allow the first victor to know the first night of ecstasy." It seemed Gilgamesh had little to no intention of returning to his own meal. Now, he was merely talking, having left half a bowl of stew sitting on the table in front of him. While she materialized her dessert of choice, Gilgamesh considered the final words of her previous clause. She was told not to question all things. Well, that was stupid, but... not really. "You should not question all things, though not simply because those things should be allowed. You are to be queen of this world, and are therefore entitled to determine the way things must be─ not bend to the established order."

[Apollymi]

This man changed his seated position ever so slightly and Artoria gave him a glance worth of notice as she began consuming dessert. This pacing was admittedly slower than anything else, that first spoonful making to to her mouth in a moment of absolute and unbridled glee. Only when she finished such a bite, and while preparing the next would she answer this man. "You are not the only one who thinks I say things that sound like you, but nothing about my speech or way of dealing with my day to day life has changed at all. The fact that we share a few ideologies in very specific instances is coincidental at best. My words are my own!" she proclaimed. Another spoonful in her mouth as happily as the previous one. Until of course, the man mentioned how he maintained that form of his. 'Perfectly.' What a ridiculous thing to say. That spoon was dangling inside her mouth as she turned her gaze to him for just a second. She had to look now and see how she felt about it. She'd realized some time ago, that she did not consider the forms of men unless she was figuring out how best to kill them. Strangely, when it came to Gilgamesh she seemed to like his form but did that make it perfect? Well, she'd not seen it change much, he looked younger in the face, but the physical aspects of his form did not seem to change very much at all. Was that perfection? She did enjoy looking at him, she wouldn't be saying that but it was the truth... "Shameless. Absolutely shameless," she said finally averting her gaze. "Still, I cannot dislike the confidence such a statement has to be uttered with... I am starting to think I am strange," she mentioned over her next spoonful of pudding.

Ah, it was simply his intention to leave her speechless, his priority even. Artoria could say there were better uses of his time considering how easily he managed to accomplish such things. He wished to experience both parts of her, and was content to take that into his own consideration. He truly was ridiculous, but even knowing that would not allow her face to change color nor would it allow her to eat in peace. The first victor would know the first night of ecstasy? How was she supposed to take that statement? Well like most things, literally! That eye shift of hers, happened again if only because she could not truly gauge her response here and now. Deflection as he'd abandoned his bowl, that would work though not truly. "Finish your food, you are an adult man you should at least have seconds!" That would be all she said something completely unrelated and just normal enough to avoid addressing both her wandering eye and this man's ridiculous commentary. It was tantamount to speechlessness on her part but it was fine as well. She'd continue on enjoying her dessert with the utmost care knowing there were only two things she enjoyed so much. 'Actually, maybe I can finally get a cup of coffee, and set my entire world back to normal,' such was the last thing she truly missed from her other life, besides access to her gun. Onto his last statement there was a dance of confusion in her eyes. "That sounds both good and terrible depending on the stance and thing being discussed." That was honest. And she'd continue to enjoy her dessert to its completion and once once the bowl was empty would she sit it down having happily consumed way more food than most but being satisfied by it.

[Bloodedge]

Their similarities could indeed be called coincidence. However, coincidence itself could be considered tantamount to a thing called fate. Gilgamesh would choose the latter, in one of few instances he would accept such a thing. "So you agree that it is destiny. This time, fate works in my favor, making more possible what I decided long ago. And here you are, walking the predetermined path into my embrace," he mused. Strange though Artoria thought she was, he believed she functioned perfectly. It was only natural for her to enjoy his demeanor, for they were meant to be. He may have been shameless, but what shame was there to have? She may have been strange, but what did it even matter? In this situation, all things were to be viewed as the norm. "Do not think it strange. It is only natural to be smitten by all aspects of my glorious self," he stated with an odd amount of certainty.

Finish his food, Artoria basically demanded. He should have seconds as a man, she insisted further. How ludicrous. Before he even formulated a response, Gilgamesh was picking up his half-empty bowl with one hand. "Don't be ridiculous. I've grown bored of this dish; the cats can take joy in it," he said while tossing the bowl onto the ground, letting the stew within spill out for the reed cats' enjoyment... if they could get as much from that bland dish. He didn't care to gorge on stew, nor did he care much for feasting at the moment. This was all just a means to an end, a stepping stone toward his own future. "There, a better place for it. Not another bite deserves a place in my mouth. I would not have eaten at all, in fact, if not for your mention of dinner. You may rejoice, for today you have convinced me to do something I hadn't a care for. Now, we shall walk."

[Apollymi]

He wished agreement? He thought the coincidental alignment of their natures counted as destiny. he claimed that such steps being taken would lead the woman straight to him as destiny preordained? Well, she wanted to argue that point, but here she was, having dinner with him. She was conversing with him, and even secretly looking forward to sharing intimacy with him. She'd decided over the last thousand years that she should belong to him, but that was a strange thing to realize. "Our likeness is coincidental, though I will agree that it makes us more agreeable than disagreeable. That is the closest you will get to admittance out of me," she specified. She did not like being defied nor did she like submitting herself to anything, as such this toed a very fine line in her own mind. Regardless she could be happy for a moment or two. According to Gilgamesh she was not to think her attraction to him strange, it was fine to be smitten with him, he claimed. He spoke this sentence truthfully. She stared at him unabashedly for a second before busting into melodious laughter. "Haha... hahahaha~" she couldn't help it, she covered her mouth and her eyes were still alight just a bit. Until she managed to get herself back under control. "I am only so confident about my ability to kill things. I imagine such surety in life is some sort of curse the rest of us could not bear... that is so you, Gil." She referenced gently, having slipped just a tad at the end there, having her word choice slip enough to use a shortened version of his name, as she referred to him within her own mind outside of her general proper reference to him.

Artoria had told the King of Heroes to finish his food, but apparently he had no intention of it. He gave his food to the reed cats in his usual grandiose fashion. Claiming first and foremost to have grown bored of it, and then making the more audacious claim that he wouldn't have eaten at all today, if Artoria hadn't expressed interest in her own consumption. There was a moment of mixed emotion in the Queen of Knights in a moment like this. He'd eaten because she wanted to, so that was an overall positive. Though his words implied he still was not truly taking care of himself... which was annoying. He wished to start on their walk officially, that would be fun, he gave her credit for his new supposed habit. "Of course I mentioned food, I fought a man for eight days straight. Food is necessity! One must always be prepared for the next battle!" she claimed as if this was the point. It was not, it was a matter of emotional turmoil that was happening right now. "You are not allowed to make me feel three different ways at once. I was quite serious when I told you to take better care of yourself..." she said in a manner which was almost huffy and demanding. "But I suppose this first step is reasonable," she said placing the spoon of her favored dessert down having properly finished it. "Fine, we can walk now... though you hardly need one after consuming less food than a starving field mouse."

[Bloodedge]

"For now, yes," the king agreed just slightly. He would obviously get nothing more out of her, but when Artoria herself caved to the emotional overload she was certain to experience, she too would claim there was no better place for her! "Hold fast to your notions while they last. A life separate from me, within even your mind, will one day be blasphemous as a thought!" he continued. Artoria continued to address his demeanor, even laughing and proclaiming his perfection and attractiveness to be a curse. Well, she wasn't wrong, considering the amount of women who swarmed to him over the centuries. Such was the curse of any king, applied to none more than he. Something could have, even would have been said regarding this notion, but pause was taken instead. Gil, she called him. Where in the world did that come from? It was so shocking to hear, he could say nothing about it. Had his own mother even addressed him in such a way? He couldn't recall if he tried, but that thought pattern would do nothing to detract from the moment. He'd been under the impression that a leap forward had been taken, but no─ this was akin to taking sudden flight and soaring the distance.

Gilgamesh stood. Yes, that was the most sensible thing to do. He should not have been shocked by a mere form of address, so obviously what he needed was to start walking. None needed to know that he'd been rendered speechless by anything; he'd just move on without a hitch... or so he thought. By the time Artoria spoke of eating to be prepared for the next battle, he was turning away from the table. "Hmph. I suppose you are right. You especially should remain prepared for the greatest battle of your life," he said in the aftermath, not thinking of legitimate combat once. It seemed Gilgamesh was still content to shove his own debauchery into the Queen of Knights' mind, as if the point couldn't be driven home enough. For her talk of him taking care of himself, he believed she needed to remain mentally prepared to see the world quite differently. He didn't have need of such precautions; she did. "My intake of sustenance is nothing worth concern! Your mind need only mull over how you will avoid being separated from your own physical shell later on!" The audacity it took for her to draw such comparisons. No matter; he'd abandoned that table, the gazebo and the reed cats, taking the first paces along the riverside. There were many more creatures to pass along the way, many marshes and groves alike, and occasionally people who drew water from the major river.

[Apollymi]

According to the man she spoke with, Artoria should hold fast to her thoughts while she could. Apparently, it'd become blasphemous for her to entertain life without him at some point, even in her own mind. "I suppose then, it is good I have never cared about committing acts of blasphemy~" she mused. Knowing full well she'd do what she liked, regardless of how contradictory it was. Ah, but there was something else, her little vocal slip was noticed but she was unaware. Gilgamesh got up and walked away and was rather quiet for a few moments thereafter? Strange, she'd expected some sort of rebuttal and maybe even some of that laughter of his after she made such a statement about his cursed nature. But she got nothing, a narrowing of Artoria's eyes occurred as she stood to make her way to him, giving a few passing reed cats general pats. 'Did I just surprise him?' she was curious, what about her most recent speech made him quiet so much? Well, whenever she figured it out, she'd use it, as a sharpened knife, such was exactly her nature.

Ah, he moved on quickly. Claiming she should be prepared for her next battle. They both knew he meant no true form of combat, Artoria had become used to this level of metaphor though it made it no less surprising as an immediate rebuttal to something as simple as the need to take sustenance. Or maybe it did... a confusion of two hungers would not be too far outside of normal perception. "Oh? Is this what is like to witness deflection at work? I must say I am surprised..." she mused knowing he was trying and succeeding at putting strange thoughts into her head. Even so, she'd noted that quiet moment already she was not about to lose completely in such an exchange, flustered though she always was. It was according to Gilgamesh no concern of hers to worry over his sustanence. She should worry about her own mind? She scoffed, he was literally the most audacious being to walk this planet and undoubtedly thickheaded. By the time he took those first few paces she was at his side with nothing short of her normal calm visage on her face, well, aside from the semi-constant redness of her cheeks. "I have all the time in the world to worry about what I wish, as you already claimed to deal with all the pieces of me separating from each other. I will amuse myself with whatever random thought I wish to entertain and you will accept it!" Everything they said to each other sounded strangely like an argument, or perhaps this was simply what happened when two people of authority near absolution stared at each other for too long? Ah well, whatever the case, she was content enough to walk around with him, stealing occasional glances, taking in nature and the like. It was really strange to consider she may like this sort of thing with someone else involved when she considered that she'd spent the previous week trying to slay a man honorably.