War's Truths

Ignia-Today at 7:19 PM

It was evening when Artemis ventured out of the castle, towards the marketplace, her hood up. She went window-shopping from stall to stall, "Dovania doesn't seem so different from when I was last here..." Even if I'm not all that interested in pottery and the like.

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 8:22 PM

The sun had retreated beyond the horizon fully, giving way to it's fellow celestial body. For a moment, Quira felt the shift in environment, the air slowly becoming more and more cool as she walked about the markets by the castle. She let out a content sigh as she breathed in the brisk air she had enjoyed so much. Ah, the air of the night, so lovely, so enticing... I wonder if I will be able to find any others who are in Prince Phineas's mighty cadre... The pegasus rider thought, happily bouncing off of each stride as her gaze drifted to and from each and every person she had passed.

Ignia-Today at 8:26 PM

Artemis went from stall to stall, her recognizable black cloak fluttering behind her as she moved, stopping at a book stall. Her hands moved from book to book, taking in the titles and the like, Nothing much on tactics here...but perhaps Lorenzo would like this book of poems...

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 8:42 PM

After a few idle glances, Quira had finally laid her eyes upon Artemis. That one's fairly peculiar... The pegasus rider thought, slowing her pace in order to allow her now-piqued interest to be sated. They're approaching a... Book stall! How lovely! I wonder what legendary scripts and stories they may have... Quira went on to shift her movement directly towards their shared point of interest with the cloaked figure, coming directly adjacent to the Mage before viewing what wares the stall had to offer. "Oh, yes! The verses of Calruth! I've been searching for this book for ages!" She exclaimed, excitedly grabbing the book of poems that Artemis had put a modicum of interest in.(edited)

Ignia-Today at 8:47 PM

Artemis' red eyes glared at Quira, having been a few moments from reaching out for that book herself. Do they have to make such a fuss over a book like that? She faced Quira with her full body, "I'm sorry, did you so desperately want that book?"

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 8:56 PM

For a second, Quira could feel the mage's eyes glare at her hard enough to bore a hole through her skull. A small shiver went down her back before she had turned to meet the stare of the cloaked woman. "Why, yes. I've only had limited exposure to the mighty words of Calruth, I'm... quite a fan of his work, really." She responded, holding the book with both of her hands before gulping and smiling sheepishly. The rider came to a quick realization that the woman had also been interested in the same book. "...I'm guessing you are also a fan?"

Ignia-Today at 9:00 PM

Her glare softened for a moment, seeing that the woman had simply tunnel-visioned on the same book as her. "Not me. My field is tactics after all." Artemis spoke simply, glancing at the book in Quira's hands, "I was hoping to find something for my brother. Books can be relaxing even in the most hectic of times after all."

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 9:04 PM

"Ah, I see." Quira nodded, her stare drifting downwards before it had snapped back onto the mage. "The Damonian situation, I presume?"

Ignia-Today at 9:07 PM

Artemis kept her head held up high, "And who are you to ask, miss?"

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 9:12 PM

"One of the few joining Prince Phineas's cadre." Quira answered, keeping her back straight and chin up as she practically announced her line of work for the next length of time. "And you?"

Ignia-Today at 9:17 PM

"A mage and tactician of Floribar." Artemis replied simply, "Are you originally a mercenary employed by Damonia?"

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 9:24 PM

"Well, I wouldn't really describe myself as a mercenary per se. I much prefer the term unsung hero, I hail from the land of Arcias in search of the opportunity to make myself known." Quira answered, maintaining constant eye-contact with the mage hailing from Floribar. A small smirk crawled it's way onto her face as she made her next statement. "What better way to make myself known than by joining such a righteous cause?"(edited)

Ignia-Today at 9:32 PM

Artemis forced herself to take a deep breath at the end of Quira's statement, remembering the horrors of the war she'd experienced. Her fists clenched, "War. No, any battlefield is anything but righteous. It is horror; it is pain; it is death. On a battlefield? Your 'heroes' are nothing but monsters."

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 9:43 PM

Quira sat there for a minute, her mouth agape as if she were to respond but alas, her words had fleed her breath. She simply couldn't believe the words that had came forth from the cloaked woman. The girl pursed her lips in thought before re-opening them to respond. "E-excuse me?! Monsters? I'm quite afraid that we're not thinking of the same people."

Ignia-Today at 9:48 PM

Her red eyes glared at Quira, "You said you're from Arcias, correct? You haven't seen the true face of conflict. You act like it's an amazing thing to fight and kill. No matter who your enemy is, they are someone. Every time you kill, you end a life that's someone's son or daughter, possibly a sibling or even parent to someone." "You are truly naive if you think war produces heroes. History is written by the victors so you don't see the pains that the losing side has to deal with." Artemis spat out in anger.

ColdToiletSeat-Today at 10:25 PM

Quira opened her mouth to retort but once again, she found herself without words to speak. She wanted to prove the cloaked woman wrong. She wanted to defend the great names of the people she'd grown to respect and admire. She wanted to do all of that... But she couldn't, because of the harsh fact that Artemis was right. In that moment, Quira had felt a wave of resentment wash over her, the harsh revelation had offended every fiber of her being and she couldn't help but hate it. The girl scrunched her face into an obviously angered glare, clenching her grip around the book in her hands before furiously grabbing at her coinpurse with the other. She opened it and quickly slammed the proper amount of gold for the book on the merchant's countertop, maintaining a constant sour glare with the mage before briskly turning around to disregard her existence and walking off, not saying a word more.(edited)

Ignia-Today at 10:34 PM

Artemis scoffed, turning back to the shopkeeper and his wares. Better she faces reality now than later. To calm the mage's anger, it only took looking through a few books to calm herself to a point where she could speak and think properly. The idea of war being anything glorious had set Artemis off so quickly. She remembered the plans she'd participated in; the tactics she gave that resulted in people dying; even the grieving in the towns she passed and in Floribar's capital herself. She took a deep breath, browsing through a familiar children's book. You fight to survive. So that you may be incredibly selfish and thus, the people who care for you will not have that look of grief because of you. Remember that, Artemis. The young thunder mage quickly purchased the nostalgic children's book, finding a quiet comfort in it, before heading off.(edited)

==END RP==