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"You're looking at me again. I can feel it." Everett mused to Artemis. They were sitting on the edge of the castle walls, looking down at the courtyard they had waged war in only hours earlier. Everett was looking through his messy brown hair to the people clearing out the dead from the cobbled plaza. His armor felt heavy for the first time since the battle started. the worn but sturdy black plates were normally like a second skin to Everett, but now it was feeling as clunky and heavy as the first day he wore it.

Artemis was dressed in his blue battle garb, flecked with blood stains. His arming sword in next to the staff shoved through his belt, and rested on the stone wall Artemis was seated on.

"Something is bothering you. I can see it, which is not normal for one as balanced as you. I'm trying to discern what it is. I don't suppose you'll make this game easy for me." Artemis was making a statement, not asking a question. Everett was usually a pretty open person, but when something was truly bothering him, the mans mind was iron-bound. Artemis delighted in digging through the minds of others to find their secrets, but that didn't cheapen his concern for his friend.

"I'll give you a Hint: She's here." Everett muttered more to himself than to Artemis.

"You always get whipped up into a fret when she's around, but rarely somber. This is definitely somber, so you talked to her before the battle. In fact, you must have spent the night together. How close am I?

"Not far off, you little weasel." Everett said with a smirk. Artemis always knew how to cheer him up.

"And in the morning you woke up alone, cold because she robbed you of the fur blanket. You knew it would happen, but you desperately hoped it wouldn't. Your weapons, armor, and pendant were untouched but anything else of value was gone. She was nice enough to leave your dress attire and basic tunic, though."

"Stop cutting holes in my tent and watching me in the morning. It's creepy."

"Awe... That's my entertainment when we're not talking with dignitaries." The sarcasm in Artemis' voice was nearly tangible, but the concern dancing around his blue eyes was unmistakable. He cared about Everett, and was always upset when the poor fellow was duped by that woman.

"She's done this to you five times now. Why do you keep going back? You're the toughest fighter this army has, you're wealthy, your nodachi alone is considered amongst the most lethal weapons on the continent, you hold the respect of kings, barons, empresses, and people across the land, and you're amongst the best men I've ever known. Why in the Gods names are you hung up on a thief who leads you on just to rob you blind every time you two sleep together?" The anger Artemis had been suppressing slipped out a small amount towards the end of his rant.

"I don't have an answer that will satisfy you. I might have some news that will lighten the mood, though. What if I told you, I found something in the castle that I haven't told anyone about?" Everett stood up onto the parapet and slung his sword over his shoulder.

Artemis' face lit up. He always loved mysteries and adventure, being a rogue by nature.

"Lead the way, commander."

Description
"You're looking at me again. I can feel it." Everett mused to Artemis. They were sitting on the edge of the castle walls, looking down at the courtyard they had waged war in only hours earlier. Everett was looking through his messy brown hair to the people clearing out the dead from the cobbled plaza. His armor felt heavy for the first time since the battle started. the worn but sturdy black plates were normally like a second skin to Everett, but now it was feeling as clunky and heavy as the first day he wore it.

Artemis was dressed in his blue battle garb, flecked with blood stains. His arming sword in next to the staff shoved through his belt, and rested on the stone wall Artemis was seated on.

"Something is bothering you. I can see it, which is not normal for one as balanced as you. I'm trying to discern what it is. I don't suppose you'll make this game easy for me." Artemis was making a statement, not asking a question. Everett was usually a pretty open person, but when something was truly bothering him, the mans mind was iron-bound. Artemis delighted in digging through the minds of others to find their secrets, but that didn't cheapen his concern for his friend.

"I'll give you a Hint: She's here." Everett muttered more to himself than to Artemis.

"You always get whipped up into a fret when she's around, but rarely somber. This is definitely somber, so you talked to her before the battle. In fact, you must have spent the night together. How close am I?

"Not far off, you little weasel." Everett said with a smirk. Artemis always knew how to cheer him up.

"And in the morning you woke up alone, cold because she robbed you of the fur blanket. You knew it would happen, but you desperately hoped it wouldn't. Your weapons, armor, and pendant were untouched but anything else of value was gone. She was nice enough to leave your dress attire and basic tunic, though."

"Stop cutting holes in my tent and watching me in the morning. It's creepy."

"Awe... That's my entertainment when we're not talking with dignitaries." The sarcasm in Artemis' voice was nearly tangible, but the concern dancing around his blue eyes was unmistakable. He cared about Everett, and was always upset when the poor fellow was duped by that woman.

"She's done this to you five times now. Why do you keep going back? You're the toughest fighter this army has, you're wealthy, your nodachi alone is considered amongst the most lethal weapons on the continent, you hold the respect of kings, barons, empresses, and people across the land, and you're amongst the best men I've ever known. Why in the Gods names are you hung up on a thief who leads you on just to rob you blind every time you two sleep together?" The anger Artemis had been suppressing slipped out a small amount towards the end of his rant.

"I don't have an answer that will satisfy you. I might have some news that will lighten the mood, though. What if I told you, I found something in the castle that I haven't told anyone about?" Everett stood up onto the parapet and slung his sword over his shoulder.

Artemis' face lit up. He always loved mysteries and adventure, being a rogue by nature.

"Lead the way, commander."