Finis Chaldea

[Bloodedge]

According to the queen herself, Gilgamesh would not simply be allowed to do as he pleased... yet she accepted his warning nonetheless. Good. If she were to simply bend the knee to him, she'd have never even registered to him as more than another random human. She was powerful, yes. She was influential, yes. None of that mattered, and Gilgamesh didn't compare either to his own capacity. With that being the case, it was simply the Queen of Knights' demeanor which appealed to him. Damned be the perfection of her visage; what lay underneath was the true beacon of unfathomable light. "Fight away, my impossible queen. Disallow my advances as you please, and we shall both see how capable you are of stopping them."

As their little discussion progressed, Artoria claimed it was not defeat she moved towards, but instead victory. Oh? What an interesting proclamation that was. It could indeed be taken multiple ways, but of course, there was only one way for Gilgamesh to receive the statement. "All is well so long as my golden majesty guides you to bliss then, no? You are permitted to think as such; your victory is my own, in that case." True enough, victory in this case did not exclusively belong to one side or another. Clearly, Artoria's statement was not to be taken as specifically as Gilgamesh's retort implied, but... that never seemed to matter with the King of Heroes anyway. He'd take things in the way he preferred, and he'd respond as such. Ah, but onto other matters, it appeared Artoria had another request after sampling one of the rarer dishes to be made in this world. Coffee? What an odd thing to desire when all things in creation were on the proverbial table. "All things desirable in this world, and you request something so simple? Hmph," he scoffed, even while snapping his fingers once more. The queen desired coffee, and coffee she would have. A pot was produced, steaming hot and filled with coffee brewed with beans steeped in dense mana. There was no cream to speak of, but there was the milk of a Qilin─ something so rare, it could only be obtained with the beast's consent. "Have your... coffee. I know not why you feel the need, but if it is within my coffers, I will grant it to you."

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh remained himself for the duration of this bath and breakfast. Of course, it went without saying that he would 'allow' her to do what she wished. "I am starting to believe you simply enjoy being told off after getting your way for so long..." Artoria stated. In truth she had no problem with any of this information. "But I will do as I like and you will be fine with it, so I suppose it matters little your motivations," she said seeming to find nothing more amusing then the idea that the King of Heroes found himself subdued by any aspect of her in any way that made sense.

That being said, it wasn't as if he was truly completely tamed. The way he chose to take her view of victory was one such bit of knowledge towards that point. He would, if nothing else bend any logic into his own to make his point. "You know that is not what I meant... and yet it is not untrue. It is problematic for you to be this way..." she said only to shake her head from left to right. "But I do not hate this about you..." she said carefully as she could. She asked for coffee and it was provided though not without thea bit of curiosity expressed by the King of Heroes. Of all the things she could demand coffee was apparently simple. A smirk came to the Queen of Knights face in this moment. "Things are simple, but they are also things I have not found on my own yet. A cup of coffee is one thing I have been missing, there is nothing like it in Albion. If not for all the annoyances surrounding the last thousand years. I likely would have gone on a walk to find it myself~" she said as if that was a perfectly reasonable use of her time. Of course beyond this there was now coffee and milk. She'd go about making this cup with the utmost care.

That filled and piping hot pot smelled divine. It was definitely coffee but it was unlike any she'd ever smelled before. As she poured it into her cup, she'd gone quiet, except to say one little thing as she breathed in what she knew to be liquid heaven. "You realize I am my own type of hoarder... wisdom would tell you to keep anything you can from me. Especially anything I would weaponize..." she mentioned ever so casually. "Also you need not understand, but once a girl like me lived only on coffee. And nothing was better than the first cup of the day..." she said those eyes of hers full of happy light and memories surrounding the movements of her family around their various idiosyncrasies. Of course, that speech would come to an end as she looked upon this glowing milk. A sniff... it was sweet, glowing and seemed to be quite tasty in its own right. Why was this how she would be receiving coffee. She should question it. This combination seemed outlandish given what she'd asked for. But she was wary. What if she said something and found out this was some ridiculous thing she could only get from him? Yeah, it was better not to inspire her own anger by finding out he'd cheated his way into something else he did not understand the value of. A few drops just a few and that coffee reached the coloration she preferred. Sun-baked bronze similar to the complexion boasted by the Sun King. Ah... and now it smelled even better. It was strange, she remembered coffee with an underlying bitterness and acidity to be equalized by cream. Here and now it smelled gently of fruits and caramels, and with the addition of the milk gained something of a sap like sweetness, similar to chocolates and fruits. But how would it taste?

Ah there was much to do before this. Yet another ritual of Hoshimi Eri was making itself known in a moment like this... as the stirring of that cup, came with the closing of her eyes the silence of rippling water, and the gentle chime of a spoon around a cup. This would happen specifically ten times before she stopped the spoon and opened her eyes. Two hands were used to hold this cup and the closer it got to her face the more delicious it smelled. That first sip was taken even as hot as it was and...

It danced over her taste buds. A harmony which was beyond anything she'd ever had. There was no underlying bitterness to be covered. It had the complexity of a light roast, but the robust flavors of a dark roast. It was fruity, and velvety. It was sweet without even the addition of sugar and it was perfection incarnate. Unlike the general upper feeling of just the coffee, it seemed to come with a glow of enhancing mana. The milk added to it, seemed to enhance the texture of it, making that gentle sip feel like a gallon as it slipped down her throat. It was awe inspiring. "oooooooOOOOOOwaaaaaaaaaaaah!~" Just a sharp intake of breath after the sip. From her left eye a single tear rolled down her face. Why?! It was so good. Too good even. And along with the lingering flavor of that single bite of omelet this breakfast was perfection. Pure and simple.

[Bloodedge]

"You speak nonsense. Do not think I would take kindly to such defiance from any other. Any old mongrel would be uttering their last words. It is your exclusive privilege that I will think only of shutting your mouth by filling it," he said as a matter of fact, even pointing toward Artoria's mouth at the time. She'd yet to see him showing anything shy of ultimate restraint, though his mind was almost constantly filled with thoughts that could hardly be considered friendly. In fact, any random individual acting out the thoughts he had would be under punishment of death in most societies of this world. . .

Whatever the case, Artoria made it clear that his assertion was... technically incorrect, yet also fully accurate. Of course it was. He grinned from ear to ear, sitting in a pool of hot water whilst being the only thing in Uruk more erect than the ziggurat itself. Nothing would quell his excitement, it seemed. "H'oh? The moment has yet to arrive, I see. Again, you 'do not dislike' something. How the mind wonders what the first thing you outright love will be," he mused. Gilgamesh was content to leave breakfast alone, never touching his own omelet─ only watching from his relaxed position as Artoria enjoyed her own, and... coffee, for whatever reason. She'd have gone on a journey to find this beverage? How ridiculous, yet how very similar to something Gilgamesh himself had done. Many things had been sought out exclusively just because they were missing from his treasury, and many of such things were utterly pointless as additions to his collection. This beverage, however, seemed a great deal more important.

Ah, but there was pause to be taken. Artoria admitted to being a hoarder in her own right, and warned against granting her things to be weaponized. That was something worth another scoff. "And what would come of granting you something to be weaponized? Whether it be a tool or a method, I will grant your every desire, Artoria Pendragon. It shall be my prerogative to watch with intent as you wield all manner of destructive things, even if I am somehow to be destroyed by my own divine tool," he quipped, albeit with a strange air of seriousness. Yes, he would offer this woman any weapon, including the notion of sex being used as a weapon against himself─ especially that. "As for this coffee, it would seem the plant itself does not agree with the climate of your lands. Worry not. As with all things in this world, I possess an infinite supply of the highest quality."

[Apollymi]

Gilgamesh's next words crossed the ears of Artoria and caused her to smirk. He only accepted this amount of defiance from her and anyone else would be uttering their last words? Curious. What was more he made the claim that it was her privilege alone to have him only think of shutting her up by filling her mouth. Hm, that could be taken a couple of ways. Given the nature of this man she only took it one way, and she'd heard him say something like that before. "Oh? Is that how it is," she asked most rhetorically. "Once someone with your face said something similar to me and I ran him through with a giant copy of Excalibur," she explained of her current thoughtfulness. "I was right. It does not bother me when such words come specifically from you," she admitted.

What was this, she went on enjoying her breakfast. That cup finally sat down but leaving light sparkling behind the green of her eyes. This was indeed what she needed to drink with such a breakfast. She went back to eating at her usual fervor making it halfway through the omelet of choice before pausing to look up at Gilgamesh over her food. She never used words like 'love' to describe how she felt about anything, except perhaps in the past killing methods. Like was the strongest word she applied to anything so the idea of her saying such a thing was preposterous to her. "I do not feel most things that way... but if anyone would hear such words from me, it would likely be you," she expressed of herself. She did not love things, she only liked or disliked them. So perhaps there would be such an utterance.

That pause to look came with another sip. Heavenly, divine... coffee. It'd been so long yet it was so good. There was nothing in the world she liked more at this point. Well... Her eyes shifted over Gilgamesh. Maybe him. Just by a small margin. Well... maybe a larger margin than she would like considering he provided both the coffee and her physical pleasure. Yes. That made sense. She would not say it but that was a fair enough difference for her to like him more than coffee. "If you place a weapon in my hands you can no longer call it yours. It is the simplest truth of someone like me in this world..." she declared in a singular grand fashion. What an odd woman she was in a moment like this. The things which granted her surety were indeed very strange. He claimed he planned to watch her with all the weapons she wished to wield including his own divine tool. "As you like then. I am not the sort to block dreams that cause no one harm... even when I do not understand them," she said with a knowing smirk. But what was this, he did indeed have an infinite supply of coffee and she was allowed to partake of it. "I am aware the plant does not agree with the climate. It'd been my hopes to find a nation more suited to its growth and befriend or conquer them, whichever was necessary. But it seems such work is unnecessary..." she said almost wistfully as she sat that cup down. Strange was it that she admitted that she would have conquered a place for such a simple reason. There were many things to consider not the least of which was the supply of one like Gilgamesh. "I am not yet sure my heart can fully take knowing where or how such coffee was acquired. It is quite literally the best coffee I have ever consumed of this I am certain. Given the tales spun around individual items you possess I am sure I will be incapable of fully processing this information," she said. A simple break and her whole omelet was finished. She noted this man had not eaten his own, but she was not truly hungry after finishing hers. How strange. "You are free to elaborate as I finish this cup... I can only hope it does not damage me to learn such information." That was mostly a joke. But Gilgamesh was known for saying things Artoria herself did not fully accept all the time.

[Bloodedge]

After deflecting for ages, there finally came a more favorable reaction from one Artoria Pendragon. She spoke of how another with his face had declared something similar to his recent words, and how that one had been run through with the temporary Excalibur. One thing she claimed was quite wrong, though. "You misunderstand, Queen of Knights. It was not one with the face of Gilgamesh who spoke those words; there can be no imitation of my glorious self. If those words were spoken, they were mine," he stated. Even the gods knew nothing of his reach and the true extent of his ability. If there was a copy of Gilgamesh floating around somewhere, then indeed... it was Gilgamesh himself. His very existence sneered at the idea of an ingenuine article being associated with it. Even a shadow or replica of Gilgamesh would, in due time, become Gilgamesh.

Love was not a concept harbored by Artoria, but that would not be the case forever. Soon enough, she would find that simply 'liking' something did not properly convey her own feeling about it. It was only a matter of time before that revelation, whether it came because of something Gilgamesh did, or the king himself. Alas, she thought it was more imperative to address what it meant to offer her a weapon. It could no longer be called his, she said. Ridiculous! "Hmph! You are free to make such claims only after being the sole possessor of a tool, are you not? Is that your way of consenting to matrimony, my queen? You could have been more blunt," he said in his usual teasing manner.

The beans for Artoria's current cup of coffee were in question, as most things in Gilgamesh's arsenal were when they appeared. Artoria thought the better of asking for details, but accepted the idea of them in the end. What of those beans? It was only natural that she would think it the best coffee she'd ever tasted, as it was an impossible thing to obtain. "There was once a great magician assigned to the Garden of the Gods. Her magic manifested in such a way as to make all other professions useless to her, yet its splendor was deemed suitable enough to feed the divines of Celestia. However, she was not granted divinity. The god Enlil took a liking to her above other mortals, letting her live in the garden to tend the crops she so enjoyed. Upon her passing, she was buried within the garden, and the tears of Enlil seeped into the soil blessed by her grave. What more could one expect to grow from such soil, on which a god would weep, and under which lay a tireless gardener? On that grave, the first Coffea plant... as if the tears of Enlil and her own magical prowess wished to gift her stamina to the masses. I find it mixes best with the milk of Qilin, which you now have the pleasure of sampling."

[Apollymi]

Oh? Gilgamesh made the claim that the one who she saw before was him, and those words were him. Apparently there could be no imitations of his self. What an interesting perspective... Artoria did not agree but she had a very specific reason for thinking the way she did. "Even if that one could eventually become you... he was not finished cooking. It was obvious by all those still present less than charitable personality traits the lack of life experience," she said with the surety of one who knew over the course of the fight that this man was like Gilgamesh when she'd first met him. Each person is shaped by their experiences, even if one could become something else. What they've already done shapes who they are in the present. This is pure fact. "Besides that hair was audacious..." she said with the most light-hearted smirk afterwards. Of course she would still run that version of that man through any time she laid eyes on him. He was ire inspiring and deserving of such violence whenever he had the audacity to approach her while he was like that, of that she was certain.

Moving on from that point, apparently there was some confusion around her other statements. Her talk of owning weaponry and claiming it for herself was interpreted as an acceptance of a marriage proposal? Of course that wasn't what she meant at all... how he came to such a conclusion was completely unfathomable. She looked up from her cup of coffee and managed to study his visage. "People are always telling me I am too blunt. But that is not what I meant, I have consented to no such thing..." Artoria's words carried a certain finality. Of course, now her reasoning was beginning to shift in a way she was coming to understand. In moments before this, she'd denied his marriage proposals because she disliked him and could not imagine tying herself to such a ridiculous arrogant annoying man. Now, those qualities were less negative and more endearing but she still had no desire to tie herself to him. The longer she thought about it, the more it became obvious to her that she did not wish to give this man the sort of bond she knew he'd carry for long after her already impending death. She imagined he'd be incapable of letting go, or worse yet put many things in danger searching for her... and that was something she did not want, irrespective of how sweet she found that as a logic. The smallest tinge of a new feeling welled to life within her chest in that moment. It felt painful and bitter... what was that?

As she sipped the remainder of her coffee she heard the story of coffee in this world. A hard working gardener, a god who wept for her and the combined magical effects which gave both stamina and good taste. That was a strangely sweet story. Artoria began speaking on it after giving it a bit of consideration. "Sou... that sounds like a sweet story... and one of maybe three gods I have heard tales of that I did not cringe from hearing about... all is," she paused. Her mind was processing information and caught up to something mentioned right at the end of Gilgamesh's story. The milk for her coffee... from a Qilin. "Qilin milk?! How the fuck do you get Qilin milk!?" Outrage. Of course it was... Qilin were legendary creatures, so gentle in nature that grass did not bend beneath their feet. To touch them was tantamount to a sin, milking one had to be a sin. She was certain... right at the top of the list with killing unicorns and ritual child sacrifice.

[Bloodedge]

A difference separated Gilgamesh from his alleged counterpart by miles; the latter was apparently not done 'cooking' yet. None could be more aware of how Gilgamesh had once been than the king himself, but the facts could not be changed. It wasn't a simple matter of that one eventually becoming the more adult version who now sat before Artoria Pendragon; it was far more literal than that. "It is nothing to do with experience, nor time. When I state there can be no imitation of Gilgamesh, I mean it wholly," he continued. What was this about his hair? Audacious? The nerve. "Tch! It matters not what form my hair takes, as it will be glorious in any form! You must have simply been blinded by my brilliance!"

Of course Artoria didn't mean her words as consent to marriage. If she were going to give in so easily, it would have happened ages ago. Her reason was not the same as it once was, clearly, but a reason remained still. Was it something legitimate? No; it was stupid. For her to believe marriage made a difference in how Gilgamesh would react to her fated death, she was a fool. "Then in your next life, let it be so," was all he said in response. The return of Artoria Pendragon to the world was a fact yet to be actualized, but a fact nonetheless. Whatever atonement she thought she would gain would be covered by the death itself, and whatever form of death she sought could be acquired as well. Remaining dead, however, was not a thing he allowed... no matter what it took to produce the opposite effect.

Still harping over coffee, it seemed three gods had avoided Artoria's ire. Alas, her statement involving them was cut short by a sudden, albeit late, realization. What was the point of outrage? Gilgamesh had claimed many times that his treasury included all manner of things, and he always meant that literally. How did one acquire the milk of a Qilin? "By milking it!" he announced. "However, the beast is too gentle. To approach it with any amount of animosity is tantamount to a crime against the world. Its milk may only be offered by the Qilin itself, which it may do if asked nicely. The act is much like becoming a Hippogriff's companion."

[Apollymi]

According to Gilgamesh he simply couldn't exist with an imposter. She could see that. The weight of his ego was quite large, she could mentally see him only being himself. Actually she understood that at the depths of her soul in a relative sense. So, what would she do with hat information? Taunt him. Mercilessly. "Oh? If you are always you then you have the same obvious weakness? Should I tell you then that you fall to provocation without much prodding and your poker face is terrible~" she said. "The hair is audacious. It is my personal crusade to see it ruined, wherever it surfaces by the easiest means I can see that happen," Artoria said with firm acknowledgement. But the Queen of Knights was not one to mince words nor lie. Strange were the things she took issue with but at the same time... it was barely a problem.

According to Gilgamesh he wished for her to marry her in her next life, if she would not consent in this one. Artoria managed to cross her arms over her chest and lean back turning her head away for her own edification. "I make no promises," that was it. In truth, she did not know what kind of person she might be if she were to resurface after her death. That much made sense, until very recently she had no thoughts of even entertaining life after her mission here was finished. Strange, she'd once considered the end of the line in Avalon to be the ultimate retirement and now... At least the words of Gilgamesh made it seem like it was some sort of punishment that he would not allow her to undertake. Given that information she'd truly make no promises about her future. She was born into this world as Artoria Pendragon, but what if this wasn't enough in the end to pull her out of what she was truly. Maybe it would be best to leave her where she would end up, instead of unleashing her form of destruction on the world. Yes... that seemed about right. Leave the ones who would do good, to do good while she thought over her life at the end of the world. Surely, she could do that now having experienced life just a little without regrets. A tinge in her chest once more. What was that?!

Whatever the case, apparently there were more pressing matters at hand. For instance the way to gain milk from a Qilin was apparently by milking it. Though not in the conventional way. After something which seemed like a dumb outburst the King of Heroes went on to relay the truth of the situation. One had to ask for it nicely and milking it would have indeed been a crime without its express consent. He even likened it to dealing with another creature and this one, Artoria had heard of in great detail. "Like befriending a Hippogriff? I know a boy who did that... he was remarkably good natured. I can understand how it could take place in such a case..." she seemed to calm herself quite a bit. "Still I am surprised by the implication that you have once asked for something... nicely."

[Bloodedge]

Falling to provocation? Having a terrible poker face? Such slander! "Responding to an annoyance is falling to nothing! A king shall not tolerate mockery!" he insisted. "Nor shall a king waste time with a... poker face. Trickery is pointless when wielding overwhelming might." Gilgamesh seemed quite firm in this belief, though there was always a form of 'trickery' he accepted for his own use. Still, there was more about the hair? He'd worn his hair that way for decades─ centuries even! How dare she think ill of a style that had once been the trademark of Uruk's king?! "Audacious is one who fails to see the majesty of the greatest king's visage! Hmph. Surely your hatred is to spite the hordes of women who assemble like cattle to touch that style, or indeed any part of my divine form. Perhaps my other self alluded to the harems, and your jealousy is in need of a target for its outlet? Yes, surely that must be it."

No promises were to be made regarding their upcoming nuptials, Artoria claimed. That was quite the pointless statement, as Gilgamesh believed. "None are necessary. Hear me, Artoria Pendragon. It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when. Your indecisiveness regarding our marriage is irrelevant, as the wedding has already been ordained by the fate I have chosen." Always one to speak with certainty, Gilgamesh had never been more sure of his words. That he would have Artoria Pendragon was a single truth he chose to weave into the thread of fate with his own hands, by any means necessary.

For his own 'breakfast' choice, Gilgamesh materialized the Great Grail of Uruk filled with... of course, wine from his treasury. He didn't intend to bother with the omelet, nor the coffee or milk; a fine chalice of wine was more than enough. As he took the first long sip, Artoria spoke of a lad who befriended a Hippogriff. Additionally, she expressed shock at the notion of his kind request to a Qilin. It was with great indignation that Gilgamesh lowered his grail, disregarding her naysaying. "Even greater than in my adulthood, was my persuasiveness as a young one. To see me as a child, any person or beast would quickly bend the knee to my desires. Even you would not be able to resist swooning the moment I broke a grin in those days~"

[Apollymi]

A chortle happened before Artoria could stop it. Not that she had any issue laughing at the words spoken by this man. She soon cleared her throat and had but a single sentiment to share. "The King doth protest too much~" she said of his apparent need of might and no use of trickery. He was far too bothered by her pointing out these things for this to be the case, but her teasing was only that in a moment like this. She saw the difference between his former and current self and took no real issue with him as he was now, aside from his attitude which she both liked and disliked for various reasons. Speaking of such a conundrum that smirk on her face had not disappeared. But what would she say? Artoria was not one to give offense purposefully, and though her other self might have taken this opportunity to twist the knife on the ridiculousness of his hairstyle and shame him for trying to attribute jealousy to her, her current self would do nothing of the sort. "I do not mock nor spite the tastes of others, if you could call it such a thing. Nor do I know the meaning of jealousy in a manner such as that..." she said that smile breaking across her face. "Make no mistake Gil, if I have a problem with you, you will be the first to know about it... I seek nor entertain other outlets than the cause of my frustration." Oh. That one was more dangerous than flirty but still somehow seemed to count as such. A harem was far from a sticking point... she expected him to have one and was surprised to find he did not currently possess one.

According to Gilgamesh beyond the points of harems or unflattering young hairstyles, there was surety in the idea that they would be wed. His words in that moment were so certain his claims sheltered with such fierceness Artoria managed only to look shocked before looking away. How dare he make declarations using her name like that?! "To look at someone with a straight face and claim to have chosen a fate that includes them without their consent is some kind of rude," she scoffed but she still did not really dislike such things coming from him. There was an amount of earnestness in his personality she always enjoyed even when his very existence did nothing but infuriate her.

Ah, but it was time for the pendulum to swing once more. According to Gilgamesh who was now drinking what she was certain was wine. His claim, that he was more persuaive as a child than he was even as an adult. He claimed a simple look from his face was something which could have gotten him his way. "Oh that I do know. I read all about the adventures of your childhood~" she said with a gentle upturn of her lips. "Though it is unfair to assume you would have any extra power over me. I already adore children... it is hardly an unknown fact of my existence."