Now that the truth is just a rule that you can bend
You crack the whip
Shape-shift and trick
The past again
-Metric, "Black Sheep"

It had been a great day, and now it was turning into a rather shitty one.

She anticipated that Rei would eventually start asking questions and express herself doubts concerning why she was even here in the first place. Anticipated yes, but she had hoped for a bit more time before they came out. There were few things in life she regretted and certainly the Priestess was not one of them, but to be honest with herself, it was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

So when they came upon some warlord with a hardon for her head, it turned the day sour. When she discovered Lord Artemis was there as well, the sour day went instantly to shitty.

The walking arsenal pulled the helmet on his head, buckling it. The King made no move to stop it, despite the fast talking white haired man who spoke Martian with a flair. But anyone spoke Martian better than she; she honestly never had the chance to learn. Perhaps she should have but there were only so many hours in the day as it were, and she had sacrificed enough of her personal time that there was nothing left to give.

As the words continued to be exchanged, the King gruffly cutting off every possible excuse or plea that Artemis perhaps could offer, she felt Rei shift behind her. Her attention turned, keeping an eye on the walking arsenal as he was while her head inclined towards her. "He wants your head. Despite the other man pleading that it was likely unintentional, and that … you're a high ranking member of the Lunarian court, the King doesn't care. He says that it was more than a slight that you struck at him, even indirectly. That … you should have known."

"Mm of course." Softly she murmured, glancing away from her apparent executioner to Rei for a moment then her gaze went back to him. Her fingers rose, collecting the clasp of her cloak to undo, gathering the material before it could fall to loosely fold, before she silently held it out to Rei's awaiting arms.

The warlord drew both of his short swords, pointing one at her before he spoke once more. A gruff voice regardless, chances were even if she spoke Martian his accent would have made it impossible to understand. Her gaze stayed on him, as one should when faced with an opponent, but it shifted for a moment to the King who nodded, resuming his place on his throne. Artemis tried once more before the King sharply cut him off with a wave of his hand, forcing the Mau and advisor to bow, stepping back to her.

"He says that … he'll give you a quick death if you put up a good fight." She supplied helpfully, accepting the garment. There wasn't anything she could do; she might be the King's daughter, she might be the Princess, but the King valued strength a lot more than he gave a damn about bloodlines. That she had been born female hadn't settled on him, but that was a discussion for another time. Sure she was treated with respect here, but it didn't mean much at the same time. Silently, and perhaps a bit more vocally, she was glad that the blonde had regained consciousness. Otherwise…

"Minako!" Artemis' voice was soft, yet it still cut through the air. His mouth opened to say something again but she also cut him off, drawing her falchion to indicate to the warlord that she'd fight him instead of just taking her head that she rather liked having.

"I don't know why you're here, and I don't like the fact that you are."

"Minako please… the Queen, she was worried. It's been three weeks since you were due to return! When you never arrived at the spaceport, when communication resumed, the Queen asked where you were at but all the Martian King would say was that you were held to be sentenced!"

She turned, giving him a hard lined glare, softening as it fell on Rei before resuming as she looked at him. She didn't bring her gloves, and she doubted the bandages around her hands would provide much of a grip, but she would manage. "Maybe you can ask the Priestess why the communications even returned, while I put on a show like I have before." It wasn't common Lunarian she spoke in, the melodic linguistics of her native Venusian was what she answered with instead. The flowing words were laced with contempt, reminding the Mau she had done this before, she had risked her life to prove to not only him but the entire Lunar court.

She knew he understood the language, just like she knew that he understood how upset she was. So tired of constantly battling against preconceived notions, for the most part she got along with the Mau, respecting his position and knowledge but for him to arrive meant he still did not trust her. Holding her falchion easily the combat was paused before it began, the warlord directing two arriving men bearing arms and a few pieces of armor her way. He gave her a nod despite the scowl, an understanding that he more than out armed her but he would let her match his arsenal to a degree.

A glance at the selection she settled on just a shield, buckling it around her forearm while curling her fingers about the grip. Nothing else would have been balanced for her, and while a helmet would have been the smartest thing to add, she already fixed her hair and honestly wasn't in the mood to do so again. Vanity wasn't her middle name, but neither did she intend to lose. Her selection seemed to bemuse the man, who said nothing as the two men quickly left.

The falchion dipped, circling as she took her stance. Everything else was ignored; the King, the looks between Rei and Artemis, the sputter of torches and the light they cast in the room. She knew this room enough, she had been here before. Last time it was against a spear, this time two swords. Last time she had been hurt already, infected by something, bearing the signs of a burning affliction. She left with a spear driven through her. This time she couldn't do the same, her showings of combat were lackluster. Effective yes, but the first time ended with a concussion and the last time her near death.

It wouldn't do.

Her gaze narrowed, the shield held at the ready as she traded test blows with the man. Nothing too strong, nothing giving anything away other than just the fact either was skilled. The sounds of protest as steel met with the wooden shield filled the air, the slam of impacting force drove the battle tempo. He was strong, forcing her back a few times lest she find herself open to an attack. That much was easy to tell, especially given how her arm began to ache from her defensive posture.

Waiting for the next sword strike to land she drove forward with the shield, forcing his arm up as her falchion came to life, slashing with purpose against his ribs. It forced his other sword down to awkwardly block; determining him to be right handed she adjusted her strategy appropriately. Needing to keep her center she pushed forward, raising her foot to stomp down hard on his toes. It brought the reaction she wanted, his sword blocking her own wavered enough for the sound of steel on steel to fill the air as she slid her sword past his, scoring a clean slice that tore through mail in addition to cutting the brace of knives across his torso.

With nothing to pin them, the brace flopped about to get in his way, but it didn't stop him at all from slamming the side of sword to her ribs. Perhaps he knew, perhaps he didn't, but the impact was right where she had been impaled. A gasp broke past her lips, eyes widening as at once a rush of pain filled her very being. Back she moved, crouching almost as she pressed an arm to her side. Repaired armor or not, it hurt like fucking hell. She didn't have any padding on under her breastplate, just the bandages, shirt and jacket. Had she have known that it was going to be this way she might have opted for something.

He overextended himself as he advanced, sensing the weakness in her to be exploited. She had gasped after all, favoring her side by the way she shifted the shield about. Something wet was against her skin and she softly cursed under her breath, still speaking Venusian. An unconscious habit that, any more she only spoke her native tongue if she was truly pissed off. That it took this point for her to reach that level had to say something. But a lot of that she knew was the Priestess' very presence. But so was the sounds of pleasure she had drawn from her, sating her hedonistic desires.

Overreaching, she slipped past his lack of guard suddenly, ignoring how much she was at risk. He couldn't strike her easily, pressing the flat of the shield firmly against his chest as she shoved. Back she pushed him with a slight snarl to her features, swinging her falchion. It wasn't for his torso she aimed, instead stopping the blade before it tore through material, holding it firmly right between his legs. The man stopped at once, looking at her instantly with wide eyes. It was an unspoken command that his hands released the two short swords, their clatter to the marble floor loud and jarring.

His hands moved quickly, jumping back as the heavy two handed sword came crashing down but not before her falchion left a telling mark against the inside of his thigh. She could have hamstrung him then and there, just as she could have easily severed a major artery. Even better, she could have castrated him then and there, but the need to make an example was burning too strong in her veins. Between Artemis' arrival, an asshole King, the possibility of a lover, and someone wanting her head, she was tired of not being trusted.

The sword raised again as he barreled forward in a charge. The shield wouldn't stop it and so she didn't use it, opting instead to drop it. However before it could clatter to the floor her body spun, foot connecting with it to send the mostly wooden piece of protection right at him. Slamming into his body as he was still exposed from his swing, the shield drove him back for a moment which was all she wanted. Forward she went, falchion a whirl in her hand, slicing the belt of knives at the top to complete the cut she had started at his waist. Her hand snatched the belt, body still moving as she drove her elbow sharply just above his own, knowing the sharp smart of pain would cause him to release his grasp on the sword.

He dropped the great sword, grasping for her only to be met with her falchion at his neck, one of his drawn knives pressed pointedly at his chest. Armored or not, the blade would slip right through the links of his mail, right though his clothes and she'd claim his life that way if her falchion at his neck didn't at first.

"You were still after her. I swore nothing would befall her, even if that means killing you, I will protect her." The words were common Lunarian; the way that his eyes widened told her that he more than understood them. She held him in check for a moment longer before stepping back, letting his dagger drop to the floor to join the rest that littered it. Returning her falchion to its scabbard she kept her gaze on him until he bowed, acknowledging her superiority in the fight.

It was still a few moments before she released her breath, feeling at once the weight of her ribs flaring up. The adrenaline had kept it under control, but not by much. Now no longer in a life or death situation her body chose to remind her of what had happened. Pressing her arm to her side, she forced the breastplate tighter against her body, anything to stop the sensation that she was losing herself, that it was all spilling out. Her eyes went to the King who had remained on the throne, bowing before she stepped back, her voice a soft murmur. "I need … to get out of here … now."

She didn't see who did what, only that Rei's arm was around her to guide her out. Artemis' voice had resumed its Martian inclination, saying who the fuck really cared at this point. It was easier to focus on putting one foot in front of the other instead of wondering really what the fuck it was. Her breath felt labored, painful; by the time they left the throne room she was already gasping. The two guards at the doorway did nothing, or maybe they did; fuck she didn't care.

They made it halfway back to her room when Artemis had caught up with them. Either it meant he was a quick talker or they were going slow. She didn't know, finding it better to look ahead than down; she had made that mistake already and saw her uniform turning shades of red. Shades she really didn't like. He appeared at her side opposite of Rei, acting as though he would lift her up and carry her.

"Don't you … fucking dare … carry me." The words were spit out through gritted teeth, giving him a murderous look. He had the audacity to look ashamed, nodding to her request to instead help Rei get her back to her room. The door was opened then closed behind all three of them, ignoring his look he cast her way for the state of the room and what it implied she opted to sink down into a chair. She knew the two were at odds for the moment, letting her hands fall to the side as Rei began undoing the buckles of her armor.

Artemis gaped for a moment in uncertainty, not knowing the Priestess' name. Typically she would do introductions, his movements of collecting a basin of water to set on the table reminded her of it. Her lips pressed together in a tight, firm line as her armor was pulled from her, sword belt long since set to the side and who the fuck cared where her cloak was at. Cerulean met his teal gaze, narrowing before she drew in a slight breath, rationing her ability to speak. "Lord Artemis. This is. The Priestess. Rei."

She didn't help the groan and wouldn't anyway, the breastplate kept pressure that helped in a fashion but now that it was gone she had no choice but to bear the full impact of what had happened. The blow, while it hadn't broken past the nature of her armor; truly whoever repaired it had done a wonderful job, still was enough force to open the apparently barely healed wound. Her ribs were no match for it, breaking anew under the pressure. Something was being pressed against her, she couldn't look when her eyes were rolling. It was a struggle enough to stay conscious with the pain wearing down on her.

Drawing in another breath she finished the introductions, Goddess forbid she ever pause in her duties. "This is. Lord Artemis. One of the. Queen's advisors. With a. Lot of titles." Squeezing her eyes tightly closed she found it a lot better to focus on breathing and staying conscious than she did spending the time talking. Dimly she was aware that words followed but it felt so easy to slip off that she didn't know what it was. It wasn't until she felt a hand pulling up her jacket halfway up her body, along with her shirt, that she came back to coherency.

Artemis was at her side, kneeling as he carefully began wrapping something over the already blood soaked bandages against her skin. At her hazy inquiry he spoke, his voice a soft timbre of Venusian. "She's gathering her things, there's a transport ship to take us back to the Moon. I didn't come here implying you couldn't do this Minako; the Queen is worried. She knows how skilled you are, that's never been a concern." He paused for a moment, looking up at her. "Will you tell me what happened?"

She may have been too harsh with him, he might not have deserved her ire. But he might have all the same, closing her eyes for a moment before opening them anew. Aware of the tension that remained he pushed to his feet, "I'll collect your things for you, just sit and rest."

A nod was his answer, leaning back in the chair. Should she tell him, could she… yes and no were the only answers she had to that question. The injury once more bound helped contain the bleeding, but staying in a bloodied uniform wouldn't suit her. However if it meant she could get out of here quicker, she'd endure it. Instead she pulled down her garments, wiping her hands against her pants. It didn't take him long to collect her things, more so given they were all hanging in the wardrobe anyway. Setting down her pack and helmet on the tabletop, he helped her back into her armor. Enough for her to recall Rei doing the same thing and presenting the spike of missing her to be added in.

"Something manipulated the King." Relenting she spoke. Perhaps it was memory of the Priestess, maybe it was the fact that she knew she was falling for her. Something broke through her anger. She stayed speaking in Venusian, not ready to make the transition back. "It's like a presence I've never felt before. It corrupted the essence of the planet itself, but Rei seems to have cleansed it."

"Rei is the Princess, the one that you were asked to find?" It was true, for the most part they did get along, but Artemis was smart enough to know that their relationship could be considered volatile at the very best. Like it or not, he judged her as everyone else did. In this instance though it was far more respectful, even if her Venusian was carrying too much hints of her anger. She just nodded softly, prompting him to continue. "That she did this… is she aware?"

"She's had visions of things already, I know not if she still has them since then." Since being impaled, since falling unconscious. Since failing. Her eyes closed for a time, reopening as the door opened once more, admitting the Priestess with her things, Phobos and Deimos perched on her shoulders like her guards. One took flight, landing on the table to peer up at her. Having no idea who was who, which was which, she just offered a thin smile at the raven. A caw was her reply before he returned back to the Priestess.

Artemis took it all in stride, picking up her pack from the table along with her cloak and helmet. He reached for her falchion only for her hand to beat him to it, slinging the belt over a shoulder instead. Nodding at her he watched as she pushed up to her feet, a hand gripping the chair before she found her balance.

"Are you sure that … you want to go?" Softly she asked Rei, knowing this was all put on the spot, this was so much assumption. She had never formally asked her after all.

Maybe she was aware, maybe she knew something that she didn't know, but Rei just gave her a mysterious half sort of smile. "Someone has to keep an eye on you."