Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
"Do you know what I have found to be the most often case during my tenure as Prince, Princess?" Artos said, his gaze sliding over the people milling about, "There is always someone. Someone forgotten, someone glimpsed once that lurks in the dark corner of a memory long forgotten. There is always someone who remembers, someone who survived," he said turning his gaze back to her, "But I admit, I never bothered to attempt to look too deeply into your past."
"Not that I am not a bit curious," he continued dryly, "Who wouldn't be? Your people have a fascinating culture, but it would have been a poor use of resources when the leader of your nation is subject to change so frequently."
And it truly was. While information on their leader's background could shed some light on their likely actions, it, more often then naught, wasn't worth it. Instead, they examined them during their 'rise' to prominence and made their best case scenarios and worst cast scenarios. The Aries's land was large, the new leader could potentially come from anywhere and traversing the desert was a long, arduous journey on its own, much less, with someone constantly moving about it searching for information then they have to shift through lies, truth and half-truths.
"Oh, I would never deprive you of your fun, Princess," Artos said, the corner of his lip twitching upwards, "I would hate for you to go and terrorize the town looking for your next bit of fun. I would have riots on the street to keep you contained."
"But what I care for is not the trade, itself, but the security trade provides which, in our case, is one and the same," his eyebrow raised at her removal of her shoes... It must have been an Aries thing.
"My name?" he said, not managing to hide his surprise at that question. He couldn't recall that last time someone had asked. Not that he tried to keep that a secret, most people in Sapal still remembered his birth name.
"Fair enough. Although it is a low price. You could have gotten your information from a Sapal Inn Keeper, but I suppose that wouldn't have been as fun," he said, bemused, "Legally, and officially, my name is Aurelius Titus Scorpio the Twelfth."
Artos paused for a second and looked up into the blue sky, "But I am not the original holder of that name. The previous Aurelius Titus Scorpio was far better looking, he was smarter, stronger and kinder then the one who would later usurp his name. After.. he passed away," he added softly, "His younger brother, a plain and unimportant boy who was of no real use much like an odd shoe no one ever expects to have to wear was thrust into the spotlight. According to tradition, the boy had to be named Aurelius Titus Scorpio, but the generation did not change and thus, the younger brother took up his older brothers name of Aurelius Titus Scorpio the Twelfth."
Turning his dark eyes back towards her, the corner of his lip lifting, "The younger brother's name was Artos."
"Do you know what I have found to be the most often case during my tenure as Prince, Princess?" Artos said, his gaze sliding over the people milling about, "There is always someone. Someone forgotten, someone glimpsed once that lurks in the dark corner of a memory long forgotten. There is always someone who remembers, someone who survived," he said turning his gaze back to her, "But I admit, I never bothered to attempt to look too deeply into your past."
"Not that I am not a bit curious," he continued dryly, "Who wouldn't be? Your people have a fascinating culture, but it would have been a poor use of resources when the leader of your nation is subject to change so frequently."
And it truly was. While information on their leader's background could shed some light on their likely actions, it, more often then naught, wasn't worth it. Instead, they examined them during their 'rise' to prominence and made their best case scenarios and worst cast scenarios. The Aries's land was large, the new leader could potentially come from anywhere and traversing the desert was a long, arduous journey on its own, much less, with someone constantly moving about it searching for information then they have to shift through lies, truth and half-truths.
"Oh, I would never deprive you of your fun, Princess," Artos said, the corner of his lip twitching upwards, "I would hate for you to go and terrorize the town looking for your next bit of fun. I would have riots on the street to keep you contained."
"But what I care for is not the trade, itself, but the security trade provides which, in our case, is one and the same," his eyebrow raised at her removal of her shoes... It must have been an Aries thing.
"My name?" he said, not managing to hide his surprise at that question. He couldn't recall that last time someone had asked. Not that he tried to keep that a secret, most people in Sapal still remembered his birth name.
"Fair enough. Although it is a low price. You could have gotten your information from a Sapal Inn Keeper, but I suppose that wouldn't have been as fun," he said, bemused, "Legally, and officially, my name is Aurelius Titus Scorpio the Twelfth."
Artos paused for a second and looked up into the blue sky, "But I am not the original holder of that name. The previous Aurelius Titus Scorpio was far better looking, he was smarter, stronger and kinder then the one who would later usurp his name. After.. he passed away," he added softly, "His younger brother, a plain and unimportant boy who was of no real use much like an odd shoe no one ever expects to have to wear was thrust into the spotlight. According to tradition, the boy had to be named Aurelius Titus Scorpio, but the generation did not change and thus, the younger brother took up his older brothers name of Aurelius Titus Scorpio the Twelfth."
Turning his dark eyes back towards her, the corner of his lip lifting, "The younger brother's name was Artos."