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Aurelius Scorpio

"And so the land will be awash in blood because the two mighty egos could not agree on which one is the mightier."

0 · 705 views · located in Cosmos

a character in “Out Among the Stars”, as played by Taunbon

Description

Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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❝Nothing like waking up and realizing you are the only sane person left on the planet.❞

~ Nickname ~"I suppose Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio, fourteenth of his name, Prince of the Misty Caverns, Commander of the Claw, and Lord of Shadows is a mouthful."

Artos, his name before it was legally changed to the family name upon his elder brothers death. Some people still refer to him as this, and he prefers it as well.
Arty, a... name his mother calls him and a name his elder brother loved to rub in.
Prince Scorpio, his official 'title' and the 'proper' way to refer to him.

~ Gender ~"I am not a very attractive man as it is, I would make a truly hideous woman. Can you imagine me trying to win a husband through my force of personality? I would have to use the gold and fame that comes with my title to hook a sub-par man with questionable morals."
Male

~ Sexuality ~"I will leave the expert wielding of the 'Manhood of Destiny' to others."
Heterosexual

~ Age ~"Younger then I feel, and younger then I like to admit."
26

~ Role ~"The Prince of Scorpio, and I take my position very seriously."
Prince of Scorpio

~ Distinguishable Features ~"I know I am not the best looking guy in the world... honestly, even as far as the other princes go, I am passable."
Artos' has very rough calloused hands, unlike many of his peers and other higher born peoples, because he spends a lot of times mining in the misty caverns. His arms are covered in small cuts and slashes, and he does not speak of where they come from. His back is covered in whip marks and burns that, he will also, never speak of. His face is remarkably clear... and very plain. Artos often remarks that he is beautifully plain.

~ Personality ~"An atrocious mixture of daddy issues and vicious inferiority complex."

Artos is an odd man. He is distant, sardonic, and often cruelly blunt with people which does not make him the most liked prince among the royalty. He will often, and swiftly, remark on actions he thinks are unwise or wrong and will not hold back in his wording. He loves to mock others and takes great joy in it, he rarely does so with the intention of hurting them, but hurting people tends to be a side effect of his actions. He considers himself to be an incredibly smart and witty man and his nature often borders on arrogance in that he believes others simply do not know or understand things as he does and make mistakes far too often, and that he would never do the same.

On the other side, Artos is a very caring leader. He strives to be the best prince he can, an almost obsession to be the best he can be. He has already preformed two radical changes to the government body of his lands, works on the fishing boats alongside his workers, on the three times he had to sentence someone to death, he killed them personally, and he always makes a point to personally inform families when their loved ones are killed in action. This kind and caring nature is not one Artos normally shows as he prefers the cold sardonic shell he has created around himself, but he does let his guard down when he is around his people in his quest to be better then his brother and escape from his shadow, to do his family proud... to be 'better' then what he is as he thinks that Artos, the true Artos, is not worthy enough to lead, not worthy enough to be a prince, not worthy enough to leave the shell.

The 'true' Artos is a lonely child, one who was often put on the back shelf, the spare tire, to his older brother who was far superior then him in every way. He cannot count the number of times he had been told to be more like his brother, to be more like Aurelius. The kindness he displays to his people is true, Artos is a very kind person, and he does not enjoy hurting others. His sardonic, mocking nature is to protect himself and not allow anyone too close to him. A passionate man with a love of music and nature, Artos has a 'beautiful soul' even if he prefers to hide it as he sees it as a personal flaw. Artos is a hard person to like or love because he doesn't allow people to. He firmly believes that he doesn't need it.

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~ History ~"Oh, Woe is Me! I was born into a rich family with silver spoon in hand. My daddy always wanted me to do his or that, and I just wanted to be 'free'. Oh, woe is me. Why would the fates be so cruel as to force me to be born into a position of luxury and power! Oh, woe is me! The little peasants have no idea how lucky they have it!"

Artos does not talk about his history and thanks to being the Shadow Lord, spymaster and lord of information, it isn't hard to keep a lid on his past. The less others know about him the better. Even the princes and princesses he played with as children, he prefers them only to know him as distantly as possible. It is better for both of them.

(I do have his history noted down, so anyone that wanted to be 'closer' to him because they played together in their childhood, just let me know, and we can work out how much they know about him as a person.)

~ Likes ~
♥ Duty and Responsibility
♥ Knowledge, he enjoys knowing what others do not.
♥ Passion, he loves to see it in other people even if he is not the most passionate of people.
♥ Music
♥ His people
♥ Snow
♥ The Misty Caverns
♥ Seeing people laugh.

~ Dislikes ~
✖ Brutes
✖ Lazy or 'carefree' people
✖ Selfish Actions
✖ Onions/Tomatoes/Celery
✖ Lap dogs
✖ Failure

~ Talents ~
✔ A very skilled musician.
✔ A very good leader despite his insulting quips about himself.
✔ Extremely good memory.
✔ Extremely good liar as are most of the Scorpio Royal Family.
✔ A great plotter and schemer thanks to the shadow network his family runs.


~ Hobbies ~
✔ Reading (from historical text to poems and everything in between)
✔ Playing the Piano
✔ Writing
✔ Reading mission reports even if he has no need to or has already read them.
✔ Watching the local plays
✔ Sailing
✔ Fencing. An odd hobby he has taken up, he is not the best at it and openly admits that there are many, many people far better then he. As for a battle, he openly admits he would rather use a spear, warhammer, or halberd then a sword, which as he often muses, are 'over-priced, shiny toys that rich men love to swing around when a simpler, and far more effective, weapon is the superior choice.'

~ Fears ~
✘ Spiders
✘ Letting down his people, his family, and being a black mark on the Scorpio history records.
✘ Rejection

~ Flaws ~
✘ Arrogant
✘ Emotionally Distant
✘ Sardonic
✘ Demanding
✘ Judgmental





~ Side ~"Oh! Please, let me sacrifice thousands of my people in a pointless war fought between two egos! I do so love to hear the wailing of children who have just lost everything they have ever known!"
Neither. Blind loyalty and zeal is for those who lack the intelligence to think for themselves. He will protect his people and puts them before his own personal feelings or the egos of others.

~ Romantic Interest ~"Golly Gosh, I don’t know... Well, at least you didn't waste time dancing around the subject."
N/A

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~ Thoughts on Others ~"Oh joy, I do so love to gossip. Did you hear about the Princess of that one nation that no one really cares about? Oh.. my.... did you know that she and that one Prince that no one really cares about did that and this without being married!? Oh my word, children these days. Tsk tsk."

King Constellation "Caught in a bad position and left with no other real choice. Does what he needs to do. Can't fault him for that. But I can try."

Queen Stars "I hope you can sleep well at night knowing this little fight you are starting could very well lead to the loss of thousands of lives."

Aries "An interesting culture, land and princess. I never desire to see the Aries ever come to a position of true power as our people would have trouble co-existing without the proverbially hammer hanging above our heads, but their culture, while incredibly crude and flawed is, none the less, incredibly fascinating. I would love to travel their lands and observe. Oh, right, forgive me, I seemed to have gone off base and talked more about the land then the woman in question. She has not been a princess for long, but given the nature of their land, that is not surprising. I enjoy her character, I have never met the woman in person, I would have remembered such an event, trust me, but she has managed to create the image of power rather well, and I would say it suits her, or at least, suits the mental image I have of the Princess of Aries, but I have always wondered what lay beneath the warrior. I could send people to figure it out, but I have the oddest desire to see for myself rather then read them in reports."

Taurus

Gemini

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Libra

Scorpio "A bland looking and incredibly dull prince. But at least he is a true prince who cares for his people, doesn't make him any less dull of a human being though. I hear his brother was much, much more interesting."

Sagittarius

Capricorn "Finally, someone I can understand for taking part in this foolhardy 'War of Ego'. I understand, from the various reports, that it doesn't seem he has much of a choice in this matter. His lands are too closely tied to that of the King's to do otherwise. I can respect that, by fighting he is protecting his nation and its interest. A little on the short side, that wasn't an opinion, more of an observation."

Aquarius

Pisces


The Land of Scorpio

The Homeland: The lands of the Scorpio are some of the smallest out of all the kingdoms. It would almost be more adept to label them as a 'City-State' rather then a true kingdom. While small towns and villages are within their borders, especially fishing villages, the main seat of power, and truly only one, lies in the great port city of Sapal. Their lands sit in the harsh deserts where life is scares, because of this, the settlements within the Scorpio lands hug the sea which their economy and infrastructure relies heavily on.

Economy: The economy of Sapal relies heavily on the sea. The city of Sapal is one of, if not the, greatest Port City in the nation with trade flowing in and out of it at an astonishing rate. It is said that one can find any thing one desires from any corner of the world from Sapal's great markets. Fishing is, of course, a major way of life for the residents and the delicacy of Clawed Kings can be found only near its shores. Clawed Kings are massive crustaceans, often two or three feet in length, that resemble large scorpions (with the venom to boot), but while dangerous, they have are extremely desired for their succulent flavor. Other endeavors such as pearls and their famous shipwrights which can easily create masterpieces or repair even ships clinging to life.

But, such booming business attracts... bad attention. The barbarous neighbors are always a worry for the people of Sapal as are pirates and even other citizens as Sapal has a thriving criminal underbelly that people whisper, rightly so, is controlled by the Scorpio family.

Military: Their lands are small and they cannot maintain large armies as they do not have the population to do so. Most of their military force is made up from the people of Sapal and can be broken into three 'branches'. The City Watch are well-equipped, well-trained, well-paid and disciplined soldiers that police its streets and defend its walls in war. Generally armed with spears, kite shields with the Scorpio emblems imprinted on, chainmail with the city tabard and maces, these men are ready to hold the wall, and the line in the sand. The guards on the wall tend to be armed with crossbows and maces.

The second branch is, of course, the Sapal Navy, and one would think that such a large port city would have a large navy, and they would be wrong. Sapal has never relied on its military might to scare off competition or pirates, but they do employ a formidable naval force all the same. Large warships called Claws prowl their waters with large catapults upon their deck and ballista lining their lower levels, these warships are designed to engage and crush enemy at a distance. Supporting the Claws are the Sting, smaller frigates built for maneuverability, speed, and their impressive rams. These ships prove cover for the Claws and tend to enjoy close range fighting. They often ram into other ships, large ramps clamping down on the target for the Sapal Marines to scurry over and bring the fight to their foes. A Sapal Marine is often armed with swords, leather armor as heavy armor tends to be cumbersome aboard ships and crossbows.

The last branch is the royal guard of the great Scorpio Castle. These guards are the cream of the crops, as it were, and are often known as the Scorpio's Venom due to their... use of poisoned blades. Highly trained, these soldiers can give even the more warlike nations a run for their money, although their number leaves much to be desired as there are only ever one hundred members of the Venom. Clad in high quality steel breastplates, gauntlets, greaves and helms, they march with poisoned halberd in their hands, round shields on their back and thick maces on their belts.

But, a wise Scorpio never relies on brute force because they cannot afford a war. Instead, the Scorpio fight a war of information. Many pirates, bandits, thugs, spies and assassins are in their pocket, and indeed, the Scorpio have even been the cause of such beings sending agents out to become privateers to prowl the water. Their reach is immense as their port is far reaching and the sting of the Scorpio knows no border.

Foreign Policy: The Prince or Princess of Scorpio has always acted as the Spymaster or 'Shadow Lord' for the King and Queen of the Heavens, and it is a very... precarious position as both regents will have to hope the shadow lord is loyal more towards them then the other regent and the Scorpio have long since had to walk the line between the two of them, never having the luxury to pick a side like the other realms. Proud and aloof, the Scorpio people have always been held in suspicion by the people of other nations for how can you trust something that has an ear on your door and a knife pointed at your back? And so the Scorpio do not have any other lands they would consider 'staunch allies' nor do they consider anyone as 'enemies' instead the, official, policy is to view all nations as potential 'assets' manipulative information and working behind the scenes to secure their position and safety. This has made people whisper about cowardice behind their backs as, for the Scorpio Royal Family, to take up the blade in war means they have already lost.

Government: The seat of power has always rested with the Scorpio Royal Family, but Aurelius Titus Scorpio the XII (Artos) has introduced a new system that has been put in place. Every village and town within his domain creates a council which is the prominent members of their areas. Each Counsel is directly responsible for their own city which includes managing their finances and overlooking taxes.

Each of these Counsels, known as Low Counsels, then elect one of their member to be their City Representative who serves on Artos' personal counsel known as the High Counsel. Along with these Representatives are the various leaders of the Scorpio Spy/Assassination branches (It would have been foolish to give all the power to a single man), prominent members voted for by the people of Sapal and the leader of each of the branches of the military. They aid Artos in the running of the kingdom, provide useful information, and more then anything else, they can override his decisions. With a 3/4's vote, they can veto any of Artos' Royal Decrees, with a unanimous decision they can put forth decrees of their own. As Artos has very little control over the election of the Counsel, he has created a check and balance for his own power and those that come after him.

So begins...

Aurelius Scorpio's Story

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Character Portrait: Princess Alexis Conall Aries Character Portrait: Aurelius Scorpio
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Princess Alexis Conall Aries

”Finally! Here!” Alexis stretched in her carriage, gloved hands brushing against the ceiling ever so slightly. She had had to dress up for the occasion, sadly, but there were a change of clothes available for after the meeting. Besides- What was worse than exploring another kingdom dressed like a noble? It completely blew off the idea of exploration! As the door opened, she did her best to try not to run out of the carriage. She stood tall, her dress the fiery red that symbolized the passion of the Arian Kingdom. As her custom, her hands were gloved, her back covered. It was a shock how the Princess was not affected by the excessive amount of fabric covering her but over all she seemed right at home.

As a servant arrived, Alexis nodded, her long, loose curls bobbing about her head. ”Take me to see Prince Scorpio. He should be expecting me.”

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Character Portrait: Princess Alexis Conall Aries Character Portrait: Aurelius Scorpio
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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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Prince Aurelius Scorpio stared out the small window, enjoying the salty breeze rolling in from the tide. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deep, feeling his longs with the unique scent that only an ocean could bring. Looking down, he examined the spiraling city below, the crisscrossing maze of streets, the scurrying people that, from where he was, looked more like ants then human beings. Even from his office, he could hear the buzzing of the voices. Impossible to make out one from the other from the distance, but he could hazard what it was. Negotiating price of goods, asking neighbors how their day is going, simple conversations filling the air of the large city and bringing it to life.

The large oak door to his office slammed open, and Artos leaned away from the window, turning his head over at the sudden intrusion. A large man entered, a scar running down his nose, the blade that had long since passed over his face taking out a chunk of the nose with it giving the man a rather unappealing visage. His hands gripped a stack of papers as if to protect them from any unseen attackers even in the small study that had books and papers strewn about the floor, "My Lord Scorpio, Princess Aries has arrived," his gruff voice broke out smashing what little hope of peace and solitude his small office could provide.

The Princess Aries has arrived, "Has she?" He asked to no one in particular. The announcement of the visit had sent the council into a frenzy. So many things could go wrong and, likely, would go wrong. It was always an... event when the leader of their neighbor changed and this time, Artos had only sparse information on their newest princess which did not bode well as he was far from the most diplomatic of people. He could already imagine the old men in the council chambers biting their nails as they imagined all the ways their 'beloved' prince could rub the princess the wrong with with his charming nature. But there was little to help with it, but he had to try.

"Don't want to keep her waiting. She might get replaced by some other sword swinging maniac with a desire for power. Then we would have to do all this over. Again, can you imagine that?" Artos said flashing a smile to the older man, "Or would it be again? We haven't truly started it yet, so I suppose it would almost be a do-over," he said in mock confusion.

"Prince.." Gregor growled, his thick, brooding eyebrows low over his eyes, "Be careful today. We can't afford slip ups here."

"I know," Artos said, he truly did. They couldn't afford to fight their neighbors. They didn't have the military strength to do anything. They relied on their information and secrets to keep them safe.. as well as the economic repercussions attacking them would bring them whilst trying to appear more trouble then they were worth. It was a fine line to walk in the face of numerous personalities taking the reins of the warlike nation.

"Go and greet the Princess, I will meet you in the hall," Artos ordered and turned his head as the older man bowed and left to follow his orders. 'Be nice.' He reprimanded the reflection in the window.





Artos stood at the center of the great marble hall, declining to sit in the throne for now. As he waited, he looked down at himself, the plain white cotton shirt and plain brown pants, wondering, idly, if he should have worn something more... formal, but perhaps this was for the best. He really doubted he could reign in his tongue if he was uncomfortable.

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Character Portrait: Princess Alexis Conall Aries Character Portrait: Aurelius Scorpio
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Princess Alexis Conall Aries


The sights of the castle were nothing less than impressive. As Alexis was lead to the throne room, her eyes often wandered to the windows on the walls and the interior decor of the castle. All so… Classy? Prestigious? Either way, she knew what the impressiveness aimed to do: flaunt the wealth, impress other kingdoms. From what a Past Princess had told her, the relationship to the Arian kingdom and the Scorpion kingdom relied solely on economy.

”Though, it’s not like we are hindered. If anything, we are in charge in this situation. They know we have the power to overtake them.” Those were the words the Past Princess had shared. Alexis’s lips had pursed, knowing the real reason the Arian kingdom didn’t attack. She would never admit it but she would admit she knew. Ugh, this is what thinking does to her.

”How long until we reach the throne room?” Alexis asked sternly, looking at the servant who lead her forward. He nearly jumped at her tone before gesturing to a doorway. Nodding, she walked passed him, slightly upset to have been lost in thought from the resounding silence. Alexis pushed the doors open. They swung wide as she strode in, her face stern and unamused. She wasn’t necessarily pissed… Yet.


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Character Portrait: Princess Alexis Conall Aries Character Portrait: Aurelius Scorpio
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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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Artos' head snapped up, having been looking down as he picked at his shirt, at the sound of the doors opening to, who he could only assume was the princess. His dark eyes scanned her, he was surprised to see her in a dress. He had always assumed the princess of Aries would show up in full combat regale... or perhaps an armored dress. Were there armored dresses, and if so, what did they look like? A question for a later date.

The red hair was... interesting. It was a rare hair color in his kingdom, and he wasn't sure he had ever seen hair that was, indeed, such a rich hue, "Princess," Artos said, bowing his head slightly to his guest as a way of greeting.

"It seems I overdressed," he remarked dryly, noting the noticeable different between her dress and his plain shirt before internally wincing at himself for his tone. It seemed he was doomed to failure from the beginning and it didn't look like she was in the best mood to begin with, but he took solace in that, it appeared, someone else had kicked her metaphorical puppy before she had walked through those doors.

Artos spoke quickly trying to cover his early slip up, "Welcome to Sapal," he said waving his hand to the left in, what he felt, was a suitably dramatic gesture, "I hope you have a pleasant," he said fighting down the tone that wanted to rise in his voice, "stay."

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Character Portrait: Princess Alexis Conall Aries Character Portrait: Aurelius Scorpio
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Princess Alexis Conall Aries



She stopped in her tracks as the other stood, watching him speak. Her eyes widened in surprise as she watched him give his small spiel, face unnervingly emotionless. As he finished, that silence remained. It went on for a while before soft sounds started coming from her as she attempted to fight off a smile. Yet, the temptation was too much!

Alexis laughed- not really a howl and not really that twinkling laugh expected from young ladies let alone princesses. The laugh was full, genuine. It did not reveal the gentleness of her soul, for there lacked to be any. There was a toughness too it but not so much as to call it masculine. Definitely, it was boisterous- bouncing off the walls of the throne room as it did. Her laugh… When was the last time she laughed like this?

Doubled over, Princess Aries clutched her stomach. She seemed much younger than she was, more energetic and refreshing. As her amusement faded, she looked up, still chuckling a bit from the small ‘performance’ the Prince had given. "Are you always this dramatic or are you trying to make a good impression? Because either way, it worked.”


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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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"I live to entertain," Artos said on reflex, his voice dry as his mind filed away the information. The Princess had a sense of humor, which meant this could not be a total disaster after all. He could almost picture the hanging mouths of the old men on the council when they found out that he could be 'pleasant', well, tolerable, at least.

"As you have likely hazarded, I am Prince Aurelius Scorpio the Twelfth," he said, his voice dull as he went through the motions, "And unlike my state of dress, it is overly an overly formal affair."

He paused for a moment, seizing her up once more, the laugh had been unexpected but not unwelcome, "We can move to the dining room to discuss the terms, get something to eat, or you are free to tour the city now. Someone can be brought to bring you to your room if you wish to rest," he repeated the words that had been drilled into him as a child.

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Princess Alexis Conall Aries



Taking one last breath, she composed herself, a large smile stretched across her face. "For business I came, business we shall do. Though, I do plan to do some sightseeing myself afterward. Expect my presence for a night or two."
Alexis straightened, examining the Prince in front of her. He did not seem like the kind to be funny on purpose...

'Does that mean he's socially awkward?' She thought. Prince Scorpio dressed plainly, considering the plain shirt and pants. It seemed he had been working before her arrival. Alexis wondered if he was only an office person or if he was skilled in military as well...

"As good as Scorpion cuisine is, I'm not hungry," she responded, turning on her heel and walking to the door. "Let's walk and talk, Prince Scorpio. You seem in need of some air." Her strides were more relaxed than before yet they still kept their confidence.


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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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"Right," Artos said biting off the words that wanted to follow. He was beginning to think he would fry his brain by the end of the day. He was already, miserably, failing to stop his dry remarks despite conscious effort to do curb his tongue. He did not expect her to stay more then a day, he couldn't recall any other Aries leader that did off the top of his head. Their relations were courteous, not warm, but she did say 'or two', so probably not.

He had to, once again, bite his tongue and the instinct to roll his eyes as she took off without him, with his longer legs, he was able to catch up to her and match her pass fairly quickly, "Your concern for my comfort is touching," Artos said dryly without noticing he had done so, again. A few microseconds later, of course, he noticed. It seemed his unruly tongue truly was a pox from the gods.

Artos took the chance to let his eyes roam the crowded streets as people already started to part at the sight of him to make room, he flashed a small smile and waved his hand at them. The large houses lining the streets were only broken by the occasional alley, "Would you like to see the docks? The ocean is lovely at this time of day," Artos said turning his head in the direction he knew the docks to lay. It was a safe bet as she likely hadn't seen the ocean, or at least, had rarely seen them giving their homeland.

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Princess Alexis Conall Aries



"The ocean?" Alexis asked, contemplating. "Hm... Sure. Why not?"

She hummed a bit as she walked, eyes concentrated on their destination: the brilliant ocean with shining waves. It had been a while since she had last been in the Scorpio kingdom. The ocean had always impressed her... Yet intimidated her.

"Let's get some facts straight," she began, wanting to get her mind off things. "I know very well, Mr. ShadowLord, that you're collecting information of me as we speak. That is why I came to you first. If anyone knows anything, I expect it to be you."

Alexis looked over at him, her brown eyes glistening from the sunlight. "I also know information from you does not come without a price. I'm offering to lower the tax of imports and exports to increase trade between our kingdoms for continuous results on a certain subject."


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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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Artos listened as he matched her steps, his eyes taking in the sea before him. It was welcoming but it always held a hidden cruelty. It would take one in its embrace just as quickly as it would dash them across the rocks in a fit of rage. He raised an eyebrow at the notion that he was the only one of the two of them that was collecting information of the other. Everyone collected information, filled it away at the back of their minds never to see the light caress of conscious thought again. He merely kept his collected information more organized and readily available then others.

"Let us hope I know what it is you desire," Artos said, turning his head to look at her, meeting her eyes with his own darker shade. Her offer to lower her own taxes was a large offer. It would increase trade, but with their taxes still the same, they would reap larger benefits from it. The information she wanted could not be easy. Would it be about perspective rivals? The tension between the nations?

"So," Artos said, "What is it the Princess of Aries needs from the humble 'Shadowlord'?"

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Princess Alexis Conall Aries

A flicker appeared behind Alexis's eyes and a beginnings of a laugh began to emerge only to fall into suppressed giggles. A knowing smile spread across her lips as she turned her eyes in front of her once more. "Oh, I must have over spoke. That is quite a big price to pay for information, especially if we have just first met. The offer is not dissolved. Just withheld for the moment."

Her eyes examined their surroundings. The crashing of the ocean. The heat of the sun still on their skin. Alexis sighed a bit, knowing well enough her hair would soon frizzy from the humidity. Bad idea to step outside but her fault. "How impolite of me to give an offer and then take it back. I really should go through with a deal of some sort..." Humming in thought, her eyes turned to the ocean again.

"Ah, yes. How much would you sell for information about me?"


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Character Portrait: Princess Alexis Conall Aries Character Portrait: Aurelius Scorpio
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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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Artos only gave a small shrug, it wasn't the first time someone had made and offer then changed their mind in an attempt to gauge the price. They never seemed to understand that information did not have a set price. The cost depended entirely on how much they wanted to know. People would spend fortunes for what they desire, even if what they desire isn't worth the price and, in his experience, it hardly ever was.

"That depends," Artos said, turning his eyes to the sea as she had already done, "On what they wanted to know and how badly they desired to know it."

He moved his hand up, running his fingers through his hair, "Do they want to know what you are developing? What you are working on? The tension in your nation? Do they want to know which ears are best to whisper in to cause another uprising? Or, do they want to know what you like to wear? When you like to sleep? What you like to eat? Who you enjoy spending your time with? Who you are bedding."

He lowered his hand from his head, and turned back to her. He scanned her from head to toe, "And, of course, how badly do they desire to know it. A man, or woman, will often go to any lengths to satisfy their obsession, but for you, Princess, I would not sell such information. Telling you what I know about you would give you hints and glimpses into what little birdies I have placed near you."

And, of course, he didn't memorize such things about her as it were. Some details may have stuck with him, but recalling it offhand would be difficult, but she did not need to know that.

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Princess Alexis Conall Aries

She listened as he spoke, thinking carefully. "Frankly, I don't care who you sell your information to about me. Your little tweety birds may hang around me all they like, gathering their information here and there, but there are no secrets I intend to hide. I am as open as a book as long as you ask the right questions."

Her attention returned to Prince Scorpio, a challenging smirk on her features. "We are currently developing stronger metals for armor and swords, ones that do not rust so easily. The South continues to look to the North to correct past mistakes as is the history. That is where one would go to cause an insurrection, though I would settle it almost immediately. I prefer leggings and a sleeveless tunic with my hair up. I sleep only when I have to. I like the taste of curry, surprisingly. I spend the most time with my inventors. And who I bed with?" She laughed, amused at the thought. "Someone who can keep up with me. Though, that has failed to have occurred."

Alexis did not seem perturbed at all by all this information she had just given him to free. If anything, she seemed to offer it as a challenge. "I am willing to sell you more information about this strange Aries Princess who appeared from nowhere. All you must do is ask the right questions."


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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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'The South continue to look to the North to correct the past.' An amusing way to put it, to say the least. He doubted anyone from the south would have chosen the same words she did, "Your sexual prowess are no doubt impressive and leave wooing men and women alike in its wake," Artos said dryly unable to fight that quip.

"But you see," Artos said, holding up a hand in the air to demonstrate his point, "If you are so open, I have no need to pay for information you sell because I have my little birdies. Although, I am sure some will be dismayed to find out their sexual prowess was lacking," he added as an after thought. Of course, if he even had someone that was, or had, done that was another matter.

"We have come full circle then," Artos said, "For there is very few things that I can not learn about you if I so desired it and those I could not are not worth knowing," He put a hand on his hip and leaned against it as he scanned the open skies, "The only thing that remains is a minor curiosity for, while I am many things, a mind reader is not among them."

"Your offer, while temporarily withdrawn, is a curiosity in itself. Did you offer me such a thing just to tempt me? While the offer is generous, the Scorpio can do without it, but for you to make such an offer means your demand must be rather interesting," he tapped his fingers against his hip, "So, Princess, what have you come to ask from me?"

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Princess Alexis Conall Aries

'Why are so many people interested in my nonexistent and unwanted sex life?' She asked herself. 'I have much better things to do with my time.' Her eyes remained on the ocean, watching the waves move up and down, listening to Scorpio speak.

Alexis chuckled a bit, hearing that he believed he could gather all the information himself. "It'd be amused to see you try. Most of the people of my past have died by this point. Nearly everything before I challenged the former has disappeared." She looked over at her companion, examining him as well. "It'd be quicker to find it at its source. Of course, you could just ignore my offer and find my information the hard way. It was going to be a small price to sell but your time."

As Scorpio brought up the former deal before, her grin curled a bit more. She began to move forward, having Scorpio follow a long. "Dear Prince Scorpio, the offer is indeed real... I just prefer to make sure I have all my cards before playing them," she mused. "But I did have reasons for offering it and then 'taking it back'. I wished to see how much you valued the trade between our countries, how much you were willing to give for it..." Her eyes glimpsed back at Scorpio with a twinkle in her eyes. "And just to tease you for the hell of it. A Princess has to have fun after all."

Stopping for a moment, Alexis hiked up her dress a bit and leaned down, taking off her shoes and holding them in her hands. She began to walk once more, bare feet against the hot yet cool sand. It was refreshing, almost a way back home. "I'm going to sell me own information to you for..." Alexis thought a moment, "Basically to know your real name. Oh, and it's a challenge in itself and I've grown ever so bored lately. The offer... We will once again save for another time."


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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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"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."

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Princess Alexis Conall Aries

She listened to what he said, letting her toes sink into the sand and just watching the waves. There was a silence. "Well, that's lame," she responded. Alexis swirled to face him, the sand that had gathered on the folds of her dress spraying out and her hair bouncing around her face. "If you have to give up your name to keep up that tradition. Like, goddamn. That's your name."

Alexis let out a sigh. "No... It's not my place to speak out on your traditions. Never mind. Just..." Moving forward once more, she walked along the beach, the waters to her right, the city of Sapal to her left. "Aries ways and Scorpio ways contrast so much. Strange to think we're right next to each other." She walked as if on a tightrope, shoes dangling from one hand. "Then again, you have a royal family. We have to fight to be on top. We've trained to do so since birth."

Her head was held high, her locks trailing behind her. "You fight to win, to live, to be. And we're proud of it." She looked over her shoulder to look to him. "So give yourself a break, Scorps. If you weren't better as one thing, that means you were meant to be a better something else. Live up to something. If there isn't anything to live up to, make something to live up to." Alexis grinned. "Be isn't an action verb. Act is."


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#, as written by Taunbon
Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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"Of course it is. It was a story about changing my name, not the secret to eternal youth," Artos said dryly, "Next time a heir of Scorpio must change their name, I shall tell them to make it a secret blood pact, lock someone else up in an iron mask that will take their name and become an exiled prisoner spoken in hushed whispers that way, when an Aries Princess comes to visit, we can regale her with an amusing tale."

"Very inspiring, and this constant change of leadership has worked out... so well for your people, well, I am sure it is very lovely in the far south of your kingdom." Artos said turning his head to the sea. He knew that was a low blow as some of their past leaders have been some of the worst in all of the kingdoms forcing them to go south and has lead to numerous coup attempts, but her attitude had irritated him. It was as if it never occurred to her that, it was exactly what he was doing. It was why he was standing on that beach being told by a Princess of another nation to do the very same thing he was already doing. It was infuriating.

A slap in the face by someone who knew very little about his people, his city or himself and attempt to pass off advice as if he wasn't already doing so, and more then that, it was as if his efforts weren't noticeable in the least. Yes, he was indeed, very irked by her flippant attitude.

"Enjoy the beach," Artos said, "I think I will take my leave. We can finish... whatever this is at a later date."

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Princess Alexis Conall Aries

'Well, shit, Alexis. You pissed him off. Congratulations.' Alexis let the smile fade, watching him act more aloof than before.

Then felt her blood ran cold.

Did he just insult her kingdom? Her ruling style? The smile had disappeared with a straight lined face near apathy but taking a step further to ire. She regarded him coldly, eyes lacking that shine to become more dull and dangerous. Her heart back to race, adrenaline starting to spike.

'Don't hesitate! You should have finished me!'

She took a step toward him, arm about to pull back to throw her shoes, before stopping. No. This was not that time. This Scorpio was not that Past Prince. Her arm dropped and she softly laughed at herself. "Go ahead, Prince Scorpio. I will return to the castle after a while. After all, I intended to stay the night." Alexis turned on her heel, walking out across the beach and away from Scorpio, humming an Arian tune to herself. She would not allow herself to be weak.

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Prince Aurelius Titus Scorpio XII
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Arto's fingers tapped against the wood table, the sound echoing throughout the small room. He had decided against any large, overly decorated dinners, much to his advisers chagrin, as he did not think the Princess would appreciate it, and more than that, he didn't want to bother arranging something like that. So, the main dinning room went unused in favor of the much smaller one reserved for members of the Scorpio family, as he was the only member of that family, he often found himself eating alone or with the occasional adviser like Gregor.

He wasn't sure what would be served tonight, if he had to guess, they would likely serve a Clawed King, since it was a delicacy of Sapal as well as other more exotics foods from other nations as a means of displaying wealth and care for their guest. Artos could already imagine all the food that would likely go to waste since he really doubt he or the princess could eat all of whatever they prepared. Artos leaned his head back, pondering it, before waving over one of the servers, overly dressed and waiting for a signal, "After the meal, tell the others they are free to take whatever is left over home with them," he said and cut the women off before she could deny on the grounds it would be 'inappropriate', "I would rather not have all the food tossed out in the streets as hungry as the stray cats undoubtedly are."

The server gave a small bow before backing away to her corner as Artos lowered his dark eyes to the equally dark wood table, running his thumb nail across the surface. It was an extremely old table, hand carved from a single great oak making it seamless. It was also immensely heavy as Artos learned when he had tried to help move it into place earlier. He traced the grains that ran along the table as he awaited his 'guest' for the night.