Dreams came to his troubled mind that night. Some of them good, others bad. However each one of those dreams had one theme in common and that was Art being pulled in multiple directions. Sometimes it was by a woman who was rekindling emotions he thought he had buried, Another dream he was fighting a losing battle against an entirely different interal struggle which he was all too aware of the fact that he was losing it. While still more dreams kept waking him with a cold chill as his body was consumed in dragon fire and cold steel.

All of it finally got to a point where he could not stand to close his eyes without the dreams coming to his mind before sleep found it's way anywhere near him. Kicking off the silk sheets of his bed Artemus rose, not bothering to put on any clothes or light a candle, and made his way across the chamber to the balcony doors. Grasping the cold metal handle he pushed the left door open in time to catch a soft summber breeze as it drifted along the currents. Feeling that soft caress glide over his tanned flesh, his bare feet carried him out onto the cold stone tiles in time to catch the sun begin to rise.

Arms crossed over the balcony rail he felt a pressence drift over him as he watched the sunrise. That feeling of perfect harmony and contentment was all the warning he needed to know that he should be standind tall or falling to one knee. His Goddess was paying him a visit. However Artemus did neither of those things, he just continued to stand there as a soft smile danced across his lips, eyes still clued on that golden orb rising int he east.

A shiver could not be supressed as he felt the softest hands in the world glide up along the corded muslces of his bare back before gently wrapping around his waist, feeling her slight frame conform to his back despite the fact that she was taller than him by a good six or seven inches.

"Good morning Meilikki.." the words came out as the warm whisper, feeling her head rest against the back of his shoulder.

"Mmmmm...good morning indeed, Artemus. I can tell that you have not slept well..." He knew that she never truly slept but she did a good job at pretending she was just awakening, putting a soft slur to her words and adding a yawn at the end of it all. "I could enspell you, you do know that right?" Came a question he knew to expect and in all fairness he guessed that they both knew exactly how this conversation would go. " You already have enspelled my, Meilikki...just as you have enspelled all of your Chosen." Artemus could not supress the laugh that trickled out of him at those good natured words, nor could he force back the grin that slid onto his face when she thwapped his arm. "Oh hush, I didn't mean in that way. I meant I could put you to sleep and give you pleasant dreams. Silly boy, some days I swear I never know what to do with you."

"Some days I do not know what to do with my self..then I find ways to keep out of trouble. Though lately that seems to be getting harder and harder to do.." With a weary sigh he leaned more against the cold stone of the blacony rail and watched the world come to life with the morning sun. Spotting small animals come out of their tiny borroughs and nests to gather food for their young. The more predatory beast out scrounging for breakfast, secretly wishing for the thrill that came with catching dinner.

" Now Artemus, you know that you can talk with me about anything. The other Gods know that I hardly ever have better things to do besides mingle with you mortals and keep tabs on all of my choicen. You might as well give me something to do." That was one of the things that had surprised him at first meeting with the Goddess. Despite all of her power and beauty..she behave...like any other mortal.

"I can handle this on my own, Meilikki. You do not need to trouble yourself with this issue..it will be resolved in time. I promise." Standing up a little bit taller he slowly turned in her arms, looking up at her with a gentle smile. "Trust in me...and I will never fail you. Isn't that what you always tell me? Maybe it's about time I started following the rule.."

"Artemus." That one word had him inwardly cringing, the tone she used was like catching a child with their hand in the cookie jar only minutes before dinner. Letting out a petulant sigh he just nodded his head and spoke soflty but quickly.

"Well...you see...there's this woman....her name's Kyndra..." The words were barely out of his mouth before her fingers lightly pressed over his lips, bidding him to be silent and listen.

"You need not to worry about her, dear heart. Her path is linked with yours but not in how you may think. All you need to do for now..is trust in your heart. When you do not over think the situation it has never led you wrong, now has it?" Nodding slowly Artemus allowed himself to nuzzle into her hand, his darker half stirring as the beast awoke.

Then he glanced up at her with an inquisititive look. "But some of the things she's said to me...it has me....feeling for her..." Those fingers were placed to his lips again.

"Artemus, honey, who is the Goddess here? If I tell you that things will work out in the end they will. Trust me on this..I know. Now..for why I am here. You need to get that tower from the Twilight Isle back, there is work you need to do." Seeing as that was already the plan he had going, Artemus droned out her plan, letting his mind drift over to thougths of a certain scottish lass that walked into his life talking about how she used to tease Wulfson with her ample "distractions". Then he got smacked up side the head because apparently Meilikki had been paying more attention to his mind than the rest of him. "Enough of that, you want to get the girl then back off. She's got enough on her plate with a lovestruck druid that doubts himself and what he can offer her."

Hands clamping down on his arms like vicegrips, she lifted him clean off the ground. "Listen here boy. You're damned gorgeous, you've a good head on your shoulders, you're smart, funny, and not to mention a flirt that any woman can have fun with. You just let the lass go and focus on what I"m telling you. She'll come around when she's meant to and not a moment before then. For now be content and share in the happiness she has found with the dragon or else I'll turn YOU into a lass and let you spend a few months having to deal with the same pressures that she is going through now. And you know I can make you look very sensual and enticing. So pay attention because I didn't just stop here to conduct business, I intend to have a bit of fun before I leave."

Arms folded across his chest once she had set him down, he listened to her words regarding the Tower of Earth and the current Keeper, Kelathe. The plan layed out and his goal clearly defined, Meilikki did what she could to ease Artemus's troubled mind as she tasted of his flesh for the better part of the morning. And though he would never complain, Art wished she would not claw so hard because it made wearing a shirt very difficult.