The Lady Killer Chapter 21: Reunion

By: Rockeye (aka LaFemme)

Disclaimer: I do not own any esca thing's in here. only the parnassus's and artemis are the ones i own. so back off. the esca ppl are owned to bandai and sunrise and i will not stand in their way of esca-ownership! I also don't own "A Million Ways" by Ok Go.

This chapter is dedicated to redsmartiez and Night of the Raven for their support (in the form of reviews!).

A/N: OK, so I've come to the possibility of having 10-15 more chapters for this story and I'm gonna try and make them a bit long so I can make good use of them. I'm also gonna start rewriting a lot of them once I get off uni because I'll have oodles of time then. I've also decided to keep Dante alive for a bit, until someone votes to kill him off. Who knows, maybe some of you will end up liking him.

I'm just reading some of the older author's comments I wrote and holy shit, I wrote in such a ghetto-esque way. Dat is no way 2 write. I also used to write haus instead of house. Weird. Well, I was in grade 8-9 at the time so it's entirely understandable. Anyway, onward to the story!

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Oh such grace
Oh such beauty
So precious, suspicious, and charming, and vicious.
Oh darlin'
You're a million ways
Oh darlin'
You're a million ways to be cruel.

--A Million Ways, OK Go

Artemisia leapt forward and grabbed Dante before he fell off the edge of the guymelef port. He tried to pull her away yet Artemisia maintained a strong grip on him.

"Just let me go, there's no point!" retorted Dante, still trying to wrestle off Artemisia.

Footsteps were heard nearby and as the footsteps came closer, Artemisia recognized them as Folken. He bent down and grabbed Dante roughly with his mechanical arm. Dante seemed hysterical when upon seeing Folken's mechanical arm and stared up at him in fear.

"What the--" Dante started.

"Let go of him, Folken," Artemisia said. Folken examined Dante for a moment until he finally released him from his grip. Dante fell to the floor with a thud while Artemisia rushed to him.

"Dante, why are you here?" she asked, her eyes growing with concern.

"I'm afraid he is not ready to answer that question yet," Folken started. "He is not the man you once knew anymore." Folken smirked at the way Dante kept clawing at his shoulder, as if trying to dig something out.

"Come, Artemisia. We have much to discuss," Folken said, trying to sound as charming as ever. He offered his hand to Artemisia and she glared at him.

"Tell me what you did to Dante!" she demanded.

"Just another failed attempt," Folken replied. Artemisia responded with a puzzled look while Dante began scratching so hard at his neck it began to bleed.

"I have to get it out, I have to get it out," he repeated to himself in hushed tones. His eyes grew wild as he repeated the phrase, unbeknownst to Folken. Artemisia caught a glimpse of a drop of blood escaping from the lesion.

She knelt down to Dante and put her hand on his shoulder. "What do you have to get out?" she inquired.

Slowly, Dante raised his head and in a single movement, unsheathed Folken's sword. Artemisia jumped back in alarm and watched as Dante carefully injected it into his arm. Wielding the sword into his shoulder, he finally picked out a tiny cube covered in blood. Wincing in pain, he managed to toss it to the other side of the port. Dante threw the knife to the floor and clasped a hand over his shoulder. He let out a sigh of relief while the two stared at him in shock.

Artemisia held her hand to her mouth, taking in the grotesque scene that happened before her. Folken grabbed his sword and placed it back into its sheath. "Enough, Dante!" he shouted. He threw Dante against the wall using his powers and faced him. "You will be debriefed and released from your duties, Dante. Artemisia, you're coming too, since you seem to be familiar with this man."

"Yes, Lord Folken," she replied, running after Folken as he dragged Dante to his laboratory.

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Dante stood before Folken and Artemisia in the laboratory, eyes downcast. He held his hands behind his back as he listened to Folken go on about his failure.

"The chip was to remain inside your body and the purpose of your trip to Asturia was to locate Van, not spend the night drinking with lewd women!" Folken was undeniably infuriated.

Dante lifted his head at the last portion of Folken's rant and smiled to himself. Everything's more interesting with drink, he thought, smiling to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the slightest smile spread across Artemisia's lips.

Dear Gaia, how he ever missed Artemisia. Not only was she an exceptional swordsman, but she was a vision of beauty with an air of innocence and grace that was so rare. During their courtship, she remained humble, despite her family's immense fortune.

Dante was Duke of Basram, an aristocrat who inherited his mother's title and fortune, as well as his father's love of women. He had a reputation as an international playboy and used it well. With a single gaze he could get any woman to fall for him.

Artemisia, however, was the exception. He tried many times before she allowed him to arrange a formal rendezvous. At the mention of his name, Artemisia had scoffed. She was not impressed with his money or title and ignored his numerous advances.

The pair became entranced with each other during their time together. He shared his first kiss with her on his twentieth birthday, his perseverance and honesty finally allowing him a spot in her heart.

They're obvious age difference rose suspicions, yet Artemisia was so mature beyond her years that he felt she was closer to his age.

With one glance at Artemisia, a flood of memories came back to Dante. The very curve of her hips made his ache. While Folken continued his speech, Dante stood there longing for her to be with him again.

Folken stopped in the middle of his rant. "Are you even listening anymore?" he asked, seeing that Dante had averted his eyes to Artemisia. "Nevermind, this will never get through to you. I have to figure out what to do with you and I have to check on Dilandau," Folken said, irritated. "Artemisia, straighten Dante out and show him around. I feel that he will be here for quite a while," he finished, leaving the two alone.

Artemisia held her hands behind her back and averted her eyes from Dante's gaze.

"So you're an assassin. I always knew you used your talents in a more meaningful way," Dante said, taking a step closer to Artemisia.

"And you're a spy," Artemisia said with a rather angry tone.

She peered closely at his features. He cleans up well, she thought. The wound on his shoulder was healing and he lost the bewildered look in his eyes. The wolf-like blue eyes she was so used to looked familiar again. Artemisia could not take her eyes off of him. The scruffy look sure suited him.

He smirked. "I'm on your side, remember? I couldn't quit my old habits,"

"How did you get dragged into this war in the first place?" Artemisia questioned.

"Basram was in the crossfire of the war—between Van's side and Zaibach. Our geographical location between the two had forced it into the war. The country was divided, the east going on Van's side and the west going on Zaibach's side. Friction between the two sides almost caused a civil war, until the royal family and our team of political aides felt that going for the stronger side of Zaibach was for the best," Dante explained to Artemisia.

"Why Zaibach, even if they are the stronger? I though you didn't believe in Dornkirk's ways," Artemisia said.

"We've just been reunited and begin discussing politics. You ask too many questions, Lady Artemisia," Dante remarked, leanin in as if to kiss her. Artemisia turned her lips away from him, causing him to kiss her cheek instead.

He smirked again.

"You're not in the mood for my apologies yet, are you? My how you've grown, Artemisia. You would always succumb to my advances before," he said, suave as ever.

"It's not appropriate right now. You still haven't mentioned what that chip was doing inside of you," Artemisia looked defiant.

Before Dante could give an answer, the door of the laboratory flew open and in stepped a young man with silver hair, a dangerous grin on his lips.

"FOLKEN!" he started. "Where are you! I've got a target on Van and his—"

Dilandau stopped dead in his tracks, looking from Dante to Artemisia. Dante drew away from Artemisia.

"I see you two have gotten to know each other well," Dilandau said, with a hint of jealousy. "A failed spy and an assassin, a perfect match, I'd say," he added, a drop of sarcasm in his voice.

Dante turned his head to face Dilandau. "You must be Lord Dilandau. Folken was looking for you."

The three turned their heads at the baritone voice of Folken. "There you are, since you're all here, I might as well tell you. We've found Van and his friends. They're on their way to Freid, a small country outside of Asturia. I'm sending a doppelganger there to masquerade as a high priest. Dante, this is your last chance to prove yourself or you're gone. You'll be making sure that the priest is dead. Artemisia, you will be joining Dilandau and the dragonslayers with your own guymelef," Folken said.

Artemisia was surprised and honored that Folken had decided that she could fight with the dragon slayers, Zaibach's most elite.

Dilandau, however, was not as thrilled. "Her…with us! You have gone insane, Folken? Can she even control a guymelef?"

"Actually, I can," Artemisia cut in. "I can fight too, you've seen me Dilandau."

"Exactly. Now go! You'll be leaving in an hour," Folken informed them, abruptly leaving again.

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A/N: Sorry for the short chapter! I've been meaning to get it up for weeks, but I just couldn't bring myself to write because of my crazy summer. Everything's just been so hectic with university that I couldn't find much time to write. Hope you guys enjoyed this bit.

In the next chapter, I'm gonna incorporate the episode where Zongi appears and Miguel gets killed. Artemisia's reaction to that is gonna be unforgettable and Dilandau might have a change of heart.

As for Dante…

SHOULD DANTE LIVE OR DIE?

Put your vote in your review and see where his fate leads him in the next few chapters.