“War takes it's toll on any man. I guess our uncivilized behavior is just our way of dealing with all of it. At home, Alrians aren't so bad as the rumors would make them seem.” Outside of that though they were very likely worse. “Just not very close with god, most of us. Or if we are, we're quiet about it, worshiping in our own ways. Common folk, anyway. The wealthy don't get their hands dirty with anything. They just like to watch.” Luitwin brought up his own assumptions based on what had occurred in the bath. Ardnt's lips set into a thin line, though he couldn't say he completely agreed with all of what the holy man was preaching.<br/><br/>“I mean, who doesn't fancy giving some tight little noble a proper pounding?” Ardnt seemed to realize who he was speaking to. “Of course, men like you don't, so perfect and selfless. But for an average sort of man, we want what isn't available to us, right? And slim bodies crawling around in front of us on the ground, well, it is an uncommon sight. Even a lot of our women would be considered more<i>handsome</i>than anything.” Ardnt had a certain type that appealed to him and it wasn't his brothers in arms, equally as filled out as he was, nor was it the larger bodies of the women, either strong from work on the farms back home or filled out from the heavy foods. No, he preferred something more lithe and soft.<br/><br/>“And what I meant by that is when I was younger I might have seen what you'd be willing to allow, you know, if you weren't a holy man. It was a visual thing. My mind wasn't connecting all of it. Should have known better. Someone like you, closed up in a space with me, my cock starting to show a little interest. That was a long time ago though and I didn't do anything. Hardly any thoughts at all, just the image of someone in such a position was enough to make my body react even if my mind knew better. It's always been that way, not sure what would change that sort of thing. I thought it was enough that I didn't pursue it.” As good as it was going to get. Ardnt didn't make it known that at one point in his life he might have forced himself on someone with a similar body type as Luitwin. Ardnt didn't believe there was anything wrong with a little fun between two men. Distractions were needed sometimes, especially when options were few. It made things more tolerable, but he did feel guilty when it came to the pain he'd inflicted upon others who were not really entertaining his advances so much as trying to fight him off.<br/><br/>“I'm not so... base as I once was though. Other things on my mind other than sex. The age, maybe. Never quite got my priorities straight, as you can see. I'd wanted to come to Herzland and change all of it. Start over. Well, I started over, but probably not for the better in some ways. Like you said though, men are imperfect by nature.” Ardnt would use his supplied excuses, delivered flippantly.<br/><br/>“A third time though? What man gets to do that, and I'm really not so sure you can convince anyone I shouldn't hang a dozen times over.” Ardnt heaved a sigh like he was tired. Some of his own guilt was showing through, believing himself that was probably what he deserved. Not for fucking around mutually, though.<br/><br/>“Don't have to worry though. Never had any children. Not acceptable in Alriah unless you are ready to set your claim to them permanently and I was never that kind of man.” Not one for any sort of commitments really, not even to his country.<br/><br/>“At least I'm not spreading my necrosis around in that way,” Ardnt said, laughing a little. “Still don't see much harm in it, just two people trying to pass some time, taking comfort with one another. Maybe if I was fucking more I'd be killing a little less. Maybe god and I can compromise with a lesser vice, what do you think?”