When Brand somehow managed to grope him, Valen straightened quite visibly, eyes opening more in shock before he cast a look at Brand. The kid was the tallest member of their little group, which seemed to work against him with the current terrain. Valen smiled briefly at brand, shaking his head "Sometimes, Z, I wonder how you patrol in the north, with all that Ice." Valen grew up in the north, he knew how hard it could be to move around when one couldn't run over the snow like he and the others did. The male chuckled lightly, looking over to Arioch and then to Z, the younger male's antics managed to make him smile, he was always able to do that.<br/><br/>"We will, General, or we will die trying. This I can assure you" Valen's face and voice again became grave, he was not kidding, he would defeat the king, kill him with his own two hands if he must. Valen ignored the comments about wallowing with the pigs, he had no need, want, or intention to roll around in the mud, though a nice hot bath sounded wonderful at the moment. "I wouldn't object to bathing together, no mud though." Valen didn't get why people would roll around in the mud often, he had never even heard of it until he got to Elzier from the temple he grew up inside in the Long Empire territory.<br/><br/>Valen followed Ari and the others to the tavern that she brought them to. He bid his farewell to the Elf before going to what would be his room. Valen changed his clothes and put away his things, Valen then went to the bath, wearing only a towel around his body. "I am glad we got this chance to relax" the male smiled to himself, he went to the same bath Altima did, not exactly caring that she was not wearing any clothing, and that he wasn't. Valen wasn't big on modesty, he had never learned to be ashamed of his body, and his life with the other knights, and later the elves wouldn't make him ashamed of his physical form. Then again, he was also more sexually liberal than most of.<br/><br/>The male walked into the bath, waving to Altima and smiling a little. Valen entered the water himself, taking his towel off before he did, sighing with relief as he felt the warm water touch his skin. Valen loved baths such as this, they were one of those things vital to survival where he grew up. Valen sat down in the water and relaxed, "It seems like forever since I have taken a warm bath, it is good the elves enjoy them so much. Valen took a moment to care for the still tender wound he had received the night the queen died. The wound would leave a scar, almost one to match the wicked one across his chest that was given to him the night his adoptive parents died, though that had faded recently. Valen undid his own hair. "I wonder if Brand will be joining us" Valen smiled, for a moment Anticipating what brand would likely do if he did.