After his conversation with the king of Fenmyre and the release of his pent up anger and aggression, Artorias had begun to seriously question things in his life. Every lesson he learned seemed to either perfectly compliment or starkly contrast one another. Be good, be yourself, do what's right, do what's just, do what you want, exercise strength, exercise restraint, obey the laws, make your own laws... The poor boy's brain had been unraveled and rewound so many times he didn't know who or what was the truth. Maybe there was no objective truth. Maybe the truth was whatever he wanted it to be, what worked best for him and who he was. It had given him so much to dwell on, to reflect on and look at his life and his future through a new lens.

There was one thing he could not deny though: Artorias was not satisfied.

Chimera had shown him what it meant to be truly content and satiated, to have his every desire, carnal and violent and possessive, satisfied. While Artorias didn't think his urges and desires were as dark as Chimera's were, there was no denying that he had them. He'd had them since he was still a pup: that compulsive need to protect and possess his wolves, to unleash a temper that often flared out of control like a wildfire. And then there were the new urges he'd discovered with women. Briar, his love, had introduced him to a world of physical pleasures, and now he couldn't resist the thoughts and temptations that came with them. Lia had offered herself to him multiple times. Bowen had sparked thoughts inside his head he'd never expected. And Chimera, the devil on his shoulder, encouraged the tasting of all the fine fruits he could get his paws on.

Still grappling and struggling with his own thoughts, Artorias pulled the wagon filled with extra supplies from the Hallows towards the Armada border. Paws crunched through the snow, Boreas going through a true winter as opposed to the summer-like weather Auster was enjoying. As he walked, his mind raced with thoughts. Now that he'd had a sample of the life Chimera led, could he go back to the way things were? He'd seen what total liberation looked and felt and tasted like. Would he be able to ignore those urges now that he'd indulged himself? The darkness clouding his fiery amber eyes was obvious, but he still had a job to do. The Armada needed these supplies, and he had to deliver them and get back to the Hallows.

Artorias arrived at the familiar border of the sea of grasses, now a blanket of white beneath the snow. Gentle flurries fell from a densely clouded sky, dancing in the air around him. He lifted his muzzle and gave a low call for someone to come receive the supplies he brought. While he waited he thought, trying to sift through the thoughts of his mind in conflict with the cravings of his body and his heart and soul.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Ever since Artorias went back to The Hallows she had been feeling his absence deeply. She had thrown herself fully back into her training and had been working hard on piecing together what supplies they had left and adding to them when she could. She was grateful that Lia was here to keep her company and that she didn't have to be alone at night, but it wasn't the same. No amount of time spent with her handmaiden or her brother or any of her siblings or pack mates could ever be equal to the time she spent with Artorias and it left a big gap in her life that she didn't know how to fill. She had considered going down to The Hallows multiple times over the couple of weeks that he had been gone, but she was trying her best to follow through with her promise to stay here and spend time with her family no matter how difficult it was to do so.

She was making her way through the plains toward the den she shared with Lia, Mortis, and Hikaru after spending a bit of time down by the training areas. Especially in the last couple of days as the flurries of snow began to dust the world around her she had been feeling particularly listless and lost, but the second that she heard Art's voice calling from the border she snapped out of that fog. She gasped with her surprise, a huge grin crossing her face as she immediately broke out into a full out sprint toward the border. She was too caught up in her excitement to even notice the cart of supplies behind him or the pensive look on his face. All she cared about was that he was here.

"Art!" she exclaimed as she ran up to him, her tail wagging excitedly as she skidded to a stop and leaned into him, wrapping her forelegs around his neck and embracing him tightly. She didn't hesitate for a single moment before pressing her lips to hers in a deep kiss, humming happily to finally have that feeling again after what felt like ages even though in reality it hasn't been that long at all. "What are you doing here?" she said as she pulled away, her words accented with giggles as she gave a huge grin.

"Briar Fatalis"

He hadn't been waiting long after his call before he heard the familiar and melodic voice of Briar call out his name. Distracted amber eyes snapped back to reality, glancing up just in time to see his girlfriend one charging at him, skidding to a halt with just enough momentum to throw herself into him with a lean. He gave a soft sound of surprise, but smiled and chuckled all the same when Briar's forelegs wrapped around his neck in a tight embrace. He brought his own paws up to wind around her waist as she crushed her mouth to his in a deep kiss, drawing soft murmurs of delight from the young brute and making his tail wag like crazy. His heart picked up speed, a familiar warmth starting in his core, and the urges deep down came back to the surface. He tamped them down once Briar's lips left his, leaving him grinning and staring deeply into turquoise eyes he loved so much.

Briar asked what he was doing here, and Artorias mutely gestured to the cart full of supplies behind him. Everything from furs to dried meats, some bottles of wine, and a small supply of dried herbs. Everything a pack could need to get back on their feet. "I promised I'd bring supplies back when I got home," he said with a chuckle, then brought a paw up to brush over Briar's cheek while he stared at her beautiful face. She really was truly incredible, and she made him so, so happy. But then why did he still feel these cravings? Briar was everything he wanted, but why wasn't it enough for him to be satisfied?

His eyes began to darken with the conflicted emotions again while he held Briar, suddenly feeling very unworthy to hold her in such a manner. He blinked and turned his head away, glancing back at the cart. Hopefully Briar hadn't caught any of that. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her or anything for his own issues. "I gathered as much as we could spare. There's furs for bedding and blankets, some food and herbs..." He gave Briar a sideways grin and a naughty wink. "...and a few bottles of wine too, if you wanted to sneak one for yourself." He chuckled as he unstrapped himself from the harness. "I'm sorry I can't stay very long. I wanted to make sure you got the supplies all right... and I just wanted to see you again. I missed you." At least that was easy and truthful enough for him to say so he could look at her again without feeling guilty.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Briar shifted her gaze away from Artorias just long enough to look past him at the cart she hadn't noticed before, her eyes widening with surprise. She hadn't known about the promise he had made, but the surprise of it made it even better. "You certainly delivered, that's for sure," she said with a grin, chuckling softly as her gaze returned to his just as his paw brushed her cheek. Even just the littlest touch or gesture made her stomach flutter and her heart skip and that showed in the adoration that filled her turquoise gaze. It wasn't like affection or kisses were new to them at this point - far from it, really - but that didn't stop the warm tingles that filled her belly as they held one another, gazing into each other's eyes with the feeling of his lips on hers still fresh on her mind.

However, they were only like that for a moment before she noticed a shift in his expression for a split second before he began to turn away, refocusing all the attention on the cart he had brought as he started talking about everything he had brought. It made her grin falter slightly, trying to focus her attention on the task at hand as well, but it was hard to not think about the conflict in his warm gaze. He was obviously trying to hide whatever it was, but she knew him too well for that to slip past her now. Her ears flicked when he said he couldn't stay long, trying to do her best to hide her disappointment. She knew it was how it had to be. He was needed in The Hallows and had an important part to play there, but it didn't mean it made it any easier on the more emotional and less logical side of her. She gave him a slightly sad smile as he finally turned to face her again as he admitted that he had wanted to see her again and how he had missed her. "I missed you too... So, so much."

She was sure that he would have liked for her to just move on and get the cart of items into the pack lands so the gifts he brought could be put away, but she also knew that if she didn't ask him what was bothering him then it would just continue to eat at her once he was gone again. Briar tipped her muzzle forward, gently nuzzling his cheek. "Did something happen? Is something wrong?" she asked softly, giving him a concerned glance, her mind already trying to jump to conclusions and guess at what could cause him to act that way.

"Briar Fatalis"

Damned as he was, of course he wasn't lucky enough for Briar to miss the change in his personality. He really should've expected as much; Briar was incredibly sharp and perceptive, so of course he wasn't going to get away with hiding something that was bothering him. Artorias looked back to Briar when she nuzzled his cheek and asked if something was wrong. The sweet look in her blue eyes nearly broke him, and he considered for a brief moment trying to convince her that everything was fine. But Artorias knew that if he lied or tried to hide what was on his mind, it would only upset Briar more. But how did he even begin having that conversation with her? "Hey, Briar, I met this guy on an island near my pack. He told me all about his liberated lifestyle and got me to unleash my innermost urges and now I'm having an existential crisis because I don't know who I am or how I'm supposed to be!"

"I'm..." Artorias drifted off, his fake words dying on his tongue. He couldn't lie and tell her he was fine. "I'm not sure." That was a more honest answer, at least. He looked away from Briar again, the goodness in his heart ashamed to look at her while the darkness in it waged war against himself. He didn't deserve her; ironic that she had once thought he was too good for her.

"I've been... struggling with myself lately, Briar. For the past year, I've struggled with these darker urges inside myself. At first, it was just anger. So, so much anger... It's why I nearly killed your father this time last year, why he's worked with me on meditation and calming techniques. They help, but they don't take the urges away. They just sort of.. suppress them. I've dealt with them for a while now, but as I've gotten older, they've also... evolved. It's no longer just violence my dark side craves. It's also lust."

Artorias finally looked back up at Briar then, raising a paw to try and dispel any reaction she might have given right away. "Before I go on, I want you to know that I love you. I love you so much, Briar, and what I have to tell you is not by your doing. This is entirely me. When I bought Lia, I had no idea what to do with her. I simply wanted to free her from that life and bring her to you to keep her safe. On the way back home though, she... tried to be intimate with me. I have a hunch she might have tried the same thing with you, maybe? Don't freak out, I stopped her before anything happened! But..." Artorias closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. Now was the time for honesty, and it was time to unveil all of his shortcomings. "...there was a part of me that didn't want to stop her. Part of me wanted to have her the way I've had you. I had an urge to not only protect and care for her, but to please and love her. Not love in the same way that I love you, but... like... Gods, this is so hard to explain!"

Artorias gave a weak, nervous chuckle, staring off into space and shaking his head. His face felt hot, his ears pinned back. Admitting all of these things to Briar felt like the dumbest move he'd ever made, but he loved her too much to drag her around with him if she didn't know all of him—the real him. "Lia isn't the only wolf I've felt this way for. It's... It's like a craving, like when you're starving for one particular food. It's an urge, a desire that I just can't make go away, and it's eating me up inside knowing I'm hiding it from you and you think I'm perfect when I'm so far from it. It's not fair to you."

He heaved a sigh and shook his head again, trying to ignore the embarrassed burning in his cheeks. "I've kept everything suppressed and hidden from everyone, including you. But... I recently met a wolf down in Auster. A new pack was formed near the Hallows. I went over to introduce myself and meet their alpha." Artorias hesitated as he recalled his audience with Chimera, the man that had unraveled him like a loose thread in a cloak. "Their alpha founded this pack as a place to unleash and indulge those urges and desires. Like a hedonist's paradise. We talked, and he said some things that... well, they hit nerves. Some far more personal than others. He encouraged me to embrace who I am and my needs, not try to hide them. He basically told me he was completely satisfied with his life, with a harem of women at his disposal, slaves to take his aggressions out on whenever he wanted... total liberation. And I... I wanted that feeling too. Not the harem of women or slaves part! I wanted that feeling of letting loose and not having to conceal any part of myself, or feeling like something in me was wrong or broken."

Artorias finally dared to look up at Briar then, searching her turquoise eyes for any reactions or emotions. He didn't even are if it was loathing, revulsion, or hate. He just needed to see what Briar thought of him now that she knew her white knight had a dark streak. "That's been on my mind for the past few days. I'm just... so conflicted between who I am or who I think I am and what I'm supposed to be or what I want to be. What parts of me are good, what parts of me are bad, and what I want to do with these parts of me I can't get rid of. I just... don't know how to process it all." He was quiet then, giving Briar a chance to digest and process everything he'd told her. It was a lot of heavy content to sort through, and it was precisely why he hadn't wanted to have this conversation right now. But here they were. No time like the present, right?

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Briar's ears flicked back with worry when he began to answer her and hesitated, only to tell her that he wasn't sure if something was wrong. Her head tilted slightly with confusion, the excitement and love in her expression replaced with a worried frown and a furrowed brow. As he began to speak she sank back onto her haunches to listen, watching as he struggled to explain what was on his mind while looking anywhere but her. She of course knew about what he had done to her father and she knew at least vaguely about the meditation and guidance Sirius had given him, but she clearly hadn't known the full scope of how deep this anger ran and most certainly didn't know about this newer development. Her confusion deepened at the mention of how these urges had begun to manifest themselves as lust and for a moment she couldn't quite figure out why that was a problem. They very obviously lusted after each other all the time - so much so that they had gotten themselves caught by her father. Despite what her father had told them to do she was more than willing to indulge that desire however much he wanted to.

It wasn't until he seemed to try and calm her worries, telling her how much he loved her and then bringing up Lia and what had happened on their way back to the Armada, that she started to piece it together. It wasn't the lust for her that was a problem. It was the lust for others. He confirmed as much soon enough and she was taken aback by the statement, blinking with shock at him and her ears folding back again with uncertainty. She believed him when he insisted that nothing had happened, but his statements over how he hadn't wanted to stop, how he had wanted to pleasure Lia even though he hadn't... Her mind was reeling. There was a lot of things that they related on. A deep love of their family, a drive to do better for their packs, tangled trauma with their parents, growing up with lots of siblings... All things that had drawn them together so easily and made them understand each other so well. This wasn't something she could relate with him on.

Somehow when he admitted that it wasn't just Lia he had felt this for it caught her off guard again and all throughout his explanation she sat in stunned silence. At least with Lia she could justify things. Their servant had technically made the first move and had sparked the thought. Lia was a beautiful wolf, she couldn't entirely blame him for wanting her, and knowing that it was someone they both cared about so much made it slightly more easy to swallow. But knowing that he had the same urges for even more wolves... He mentioned how he couldn't keep letting her think of him as perfect when he wasn't and as much as she wanted to reach out and comfort him to assure him that everything was fine she couldn't. It had most certainly shattered her perception of things, but she wouldn't let herself storm off or be upset over it. The last time she had done that it had only tore her apart. She sat there quietly, taking it in and trying to process it rationally as he continued.

He brought up someone he had met, a man that had formed a pack in Auster, that had shown him a completely different lifestyle from their own - a harem of women and slaves, indulging in any and all urges and desires. She didn't know who this mysterious man was, but part of her hated him for encouraging all of this in her Artorias, but at the same time she supposed she was glad for it. She would rather all this come out now instead of after she had moved to The Hallows, after they were married with a family... At least now she could see it a little more objectively. She could only imagine how trapped she would have felt if all of this had come out later, how she would have felt obligated to maintain their life together for the sake of their family. At least now she could consider it and decide if it was something she could live with.

At first her initial response was no. She grew up with parents that, at least from what she had seen, were utterly devoted to each other. She at the very least knew how obsessed and devoted her father was to her mother and that was the only kind of relationship she had ever known. It's what she had wanted for herself and what she thought she had with Artorias. It was hard to not feel like that wasn't the case any more no matter how much he insisted he loved her. But when he talked about how he just wanted to feel satisfied and like he didn't have to hide any part of himself it brought up her own inner conflict. She didn't want him to struggle with himself and have to force himself to be something he wasn't. She didn't want him to feel like he was broken or something was wrong with him. It was something that she had been struggling with herself for a long time and it wasn't something that she would wish on anyone, especially not Art.

When he looked back up at her there wasn't hate or loathing in her gaze, only confusion and conflict. He didn't know how to process it and she most certainly didn't either. The thought crossed her mind that she could break things off here with the understanding that they just simply wanted different things from life now, but as soon as that thought formed it was quickly followed with the memory of the days she had spent wallowing in heartbreak and fear that she may never get to be with the man she loved again. She had promised herself that she would never make that mistake ever again once she got him back and it felt impossible to do it now. She remained silent as she searched his face for a moment before letting her gaze shift down to the ground in front of her paws, considering it all and trying to imagine how she would feel if he ever indulged those urges like that other alpha had encouraged him to do. It took her a long moment of consideration, but she found a question among it all that she needed an answer to before she could really decide where to go from here.

"Who else have you wanted?" she questioned, finally lifting her gaze back up to his again. "You said Lia isn't the only one you've wanted... Who else? How many?" Was it every pretty woman he came across? Was it only specific wolves? How wide spread were these urges? How many of them would he actually want to act on? She needed to know the full scope and scale of things before she could begin to grasp how she felt in all of this. She absolutely did not want to give him up, but she had to be fair to herself in this as well.

"Briar Fatalis"

The look of shock and confusion on Briar's face when he did finally look back at her was actually worse than if he'd seen anger or hatred there. He knew of anger, he knew what that felt like, and it would have been deserved. But this... Watching Briar's expression go through a gamut of emotions as he systematically tore down the perfect world she thought she'd been living in, this was so much worse than if she'd just slapped him with those cat claws out. Instantly, Artorias wished he'd said nothing at all, kept it to himself and buried it down deep where no one could ever find it. Anything was better than hurting Briar. Gods damn it, why had he gone to that fucking island?!

Briar looked away from him for a long moment—and then she looked back up again, and asked a question that made his heart sink into his stomach. Artorias slumped to the ground, haunches crunching into the snow and front legs barely holding himself up as he hung his head in shame. That was the one question he'd been dreading, but of course she was going to ask it. Artorias considered instead offering Briar his sword and begging her to strike him down. That at least would be less painful than this disaster he'd caused. Fuck! How did he even begin to tell her about what had happened since he'd returned home to find Bowen? How their relationship had shifted into something far more intense and taboo.

Artorias didn't look at Briar again, face so hot it felt like his skin was on fire. His ears folded flat to his skull while he gazed down at their paws, raking his claws idly through the snow in a fidgeting behavior. Nervousness was not something Artorias faced often, but sitting here with Briar, knowing the words he'd have to speak, he was outright terrified. After a long moment of reluctant debate, he drew in a deep breath to try and steady his jittery nerves, letting it out in a long, heavy sigh. "It's just one other," he confessed, deciding to start with the easy part of that answer. "It's... It's Bowen." Again, the words died on his tongue. Briar had met Bowen only once, back when they were very small pups. Would she even remember who she was? "She came back. She's... changed. A lot. I didn't intend for this to happen, it just sort of did."

He had no idea what to expect from this point on. Would Briar attack him when she realized he was attracted to his sister? Would she drive him away with teeth and claws? Was this the moment when his relationship ended? He thought back on the love he'd shared with Briar, already kissing those days and their future together goodbye. He could have lied, picked any other wolf to cover his ass, but he could not lie to Briar. He never had, and he never would. Despite what she may think of him now, Artorias still loved her with all his heart and soul. He didn't want to be doing this, but he couldn't let her live a lie with him. This was her chance to get a look at who he really was beneath the surface, a glimpse of the conflict and the dysfunction that lived in his brain and heart. This was her chance to cut and run while she still could and minimize the damage to herself.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered after a moment of long silence. He was still silently praying the ground might open up and swallow him just to escape this torment. "I never meant to put you in this position, Briar. I... If you want to leave, I'd understand. I'm sorry I couldn't be what you believed I was..." Artorias waited again for the next question or for Briar to strike him, whichever came first.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Seeing how Artorias slumped under the weight of her question immediately made her mind go into a flurry of assumptions and worries, but none of it ended up matching what Artorias eventually brought himself to tell her. There was only one other and that much at least was a comfort, but she was completely stunned when she heard who it was. She had had only met Bowen once and really couldn't even remember what she looked like, she only really recognized the name because of hearing it in passing or in stories. Her jaw nearly dropped to the ground at the reveal and she just stared at him for a long moment while he shrunk under his own shame and embarrassment. At the very least she felt completely confident that he was telling the truth. There wasn't a chance in hell that he'd tell that kind of lie. If anything he was just making things more difficult for himself by telling her this, but instead of lying and pointing toward someone else he admitted to being attracted to his long lost sister. Her brow creased as he began to apologize, saying how he never wanted to put her in this position and offering her an out. She knew it was an out that she didn't want to use, but she also wasn't entirely sure how she wanted to proceed.

She was sure most girls would call something like this a deal breaker. She wasn't unaware of that. It was hard to fully wrap her head around the fact that this boy that she loved with her entire heart also wanted to sleep with her handmaiden and his sister. Her gaze shifted away from him, looking off across the plains as she really tried to consider it. If he had told her that it was just random lust for any random girl then she might have had a worse reaction, but the fact was that the only wolves he had these urges for were two wolves that obviously meant something to him. The slave he had saved and brought into a better life and his sister that had been lost from his life for so long that had finally returned... For whatever reason that felt different to her. For some reason that was easier to swallow. It was easier for her to know exactly what he was feeling and for who instead of questioning and letting her mind make up its own assumptions and guesses.

Her jaw tightened as she looked at him again, settling on her decision even if it was one she wasn't fully happy with yet. However... she could compromise in order to keep what she wanted most - Artorias. She lifted a paw as she fixed him with a firm look, poking his chest with her paw to punctuate her words. "If you ever feel like this for anyone else you have to tell me. If you actually do anything with either of them I want to know. No secrets. You hiding things or lying is much worse to me than... this." Her expression softened slightly as she lowered her paw, her ears flicking back with a sigh. "I don't want you to have to feel like you're constantly restraining yourself or forcing yourself to be something else. That's not a good way to live... As long as its a limited thing, as long as you don't decide you suddenly want harems and slaves..." It was hard for her to actually say it out loud, hard for her to speak her permission for him to be with Lia or Bowen, but it was there. She wanted to stay with him, but she refused to let him constantly monitor himself to do it.

There was really only one other question lingering on her mind, one last worry to to ease before she could let it go. "But if you're going to do this you have to promise me that I'll always come first," she added softly, her words no longer holding the slight edge of anger that they had before. "I want to be the one to marry you and have a family and rule with you... If something ever changes, if you ever start to love someone else more than me... Then I don't want this any more. I'll only agree to this as long as I am the one that you love most."

"Briar Fatalis"

Artorias didn't see any of Briar's shellshocked reactions when he dropped the Bowen bomb on her. He had kept his eyes averted the entire time, physically unable to meet her gaze like a shameful puppy getting a scolding, only this was much worse. He felt like he was systematically dismantling her heart and his own at the same time. The quiet that followed after his final words stretched on for much longer than he had anticipated. Briar was taking her time, really absorbing everything and processing it, deciding on her response, no doubt. It was painful for him to sit still through, waiting to see if she'd take him up on his exit offer, or if she'd decide she wanted some of his blood before she left. He would have deserved it, and he wouldn't have blamed her for taking her upset out on him.

Instead of feeling claws or teeth, however, Artorias was startled when a paw jabbed at him in the chest. He blinked in surprise, looking up at Briar as she spoke with a hard edge to her voice, showing she meant no nonsense. She instructed him that if he ever felt like this for anyone else, he was to tell her. His brow furrowed in confusion. She directed him to tell her if he ever did anything with Lia or Bowen, and now he wore a bewildered expression on his face. She wanted to know if he felt these urges for anyone else, or if he was intimate with Lia or Bowen? Did that mean she wasn't leaving him? What was going on right now?!

Artorias listened while Briar calmed down and explained how she didn't want him to feel trapped in himself, trying to keep parts of himself hidden or restrained. But she was particularly specific when she said she didn't want him having any harems or slave, and Art was still too perplexed by what was happening to say anything in response. He had no intentions of starting a harem or becoming a slaveowner. In fact, he'd had no intentions of doing anything with anyone other than Briar, but right now, it sounded like she was accepting the way he was and granting him permission, so long as he abided by her rules. Artorias stared back at Briar with immense confusion clouding his fire-toned eyes. Why was she doing this? Why was she suddenly so accepting of what he'd told her?

Briar's next statements cleared up his confusion there. She asked that he promise her that she would always come first, she would be the one to marry him, have a family with him, rule the Hallows with him. Art's eyes widened with realization; she was concerned that he would love someone other than her. She wanted to be sure her place in his heart was secure. This all still felt like a whirlwind to the young brute, and he was trying to digest it all, but he could focus on his Briar right now. That part was easy. He wanted to reach out, to touch her cheek and pull her body close to his, but it didn't feel right trying to be physical with her at this moment in this conversation. "You will always be the only wolf I love with all my heart and soul, Briar," he said, gazing into her eyes with an intense yet caring conviction. "Nothing is ever going to change that. You're the girl I want to spend my entire life with, raise puppies with, have at my side every day and night. You are the wolf I love completely and wholly with everything I am. I guess... I guess I just love other wolves too, but in a different way."

It was the only explanation he could come up with. Artorias was staunchly loyal and protective of the wolves he cared about. He loved his wolves in all different ways. The love he felt for Lia was different from the love he felt for Bowen, and both were different from his love for his pack or his family. But Briar... The love he felt for Briar topped everything. It was his apex, his beginning and end, the one thing he would cling to at the end of days. He was still reeling, finding it impossible to believe Briar was actually accepting him for all his flaws, and allowing him to no longer temper those urges down. That really only left one major question in his mind. "Why? Why are you doing this?" he asked, voice soft and trembling with the rollercoaster of emotions he was going through.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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The stunned reaction she got in response told her that he hadn't seen this kind of response coming. If she was being honest, she had kind of shocked herself as well. Nothing about this really made sense in her mind, but she knew what was most important to her and she would do nearly anything to keep those things in place. She wouldn't give up Artorias and she wouldn't force him into some kind of box in order to keep him. Once he began assuring her that she was indeed the one he loved with his whole heart and soul she felt like she could begin to relax. There was no trace of lying or hesitation in his voice or his eyes. He meant it and she trusted that she could believe him. She still didn't fully understand what he meant by loving other wolves in did, but perhaps with time she would. The important thing was that they would still have time together to figure it out. She nodded with a soft sigh, her shoulders relaxing some as she slowly began to accept this new part of their lives together. Only time would tell if or when he would actually act on these urges, but that was something she was more willing to live with than the thought of losing him entirely.

When he asked why she was doing this she tried to give him a little smile as she replied. "Because you're the one I want to spend my entire life with too," she said without hesitation. "You're the only one I want to raise a family with and spent every day and night with... I've already tried to live without you once and I don't want to do that again." She shifted her gaze away from his, adding, "Plus... I know what it feels like to try and force yourself to be what others want you to be and I can't ask you to do that... Not for me, not for anyone. I just want you to be happy so if this helps you feel that liberation you're wanting then I can live with this." Her paw lifted to brush along his foreleg, her paw pads tracing the set of gray slashes for a moment before she brought her eyes back up to his. "You're not perfect, but neither am I. We can figure this out. You're worth everything to me."

She leaned forward then, gently brushing her lips against his in a soft kiss that was quickly followed by another and another. Every kiss started lighting little sparks in her belly, reminding her of the desire that had started building for him before he dropped this bombshell and shook up their relationship. "I love you," she said softly, brushing the side of her muzzle against his. She would be his mate, the mother of his children, his queen... He was hers. No one else could be those things. She just kept reminding herself of that as she pressed her lips to his again, kissing him more deeply and letting that feeling chase away her thoughts and doubts, reminding herself of what she was fighting so hard to keep.

"Briar Fatalis"

Artorias was dumbstruck. He'd come up here with a head full of self-doubt and confusion and a cart loaded with supplies, but it looked like he was leaving with a restructured relationship and even more confusion. It had never been his intention to have this conversation with Briar, yet now that they'd had it and their words had been said, Artorias was just left astounded by what had occurred. Briar had taken everything he'd said in stride, and though he still saw uncertainty and concern in her eyes, his affirmation of his undying love for her did make her posture relax and some of that apprehension in her eyes melt away. There was still some lingering tension in the air, but it was to be expected. Their relationship had jus gone through a major shift and change, and there would no doubt be some growing pains as they both got used to the new aspects of it.

He had asked why she was doing this, and Briar's answer was so genuine and direct that it took him aback. Briar did this because she wanted to spend her entire life with him as well, and she didn't want to keep him trapped trying to hide parts of himself or struggle with his own morality and desires. She didn't want to live without him, and he knew he couldn't live without her. Briar told him that she knew what it felt like to live under the expectations of who you were supposed to be, and he realized that she really could empathize with him. She not only had the pressures of being a Fatalis, but being a princess of the Armada as well. He'd known she'd struggled with her own identity for a long time and was only now finally beginning to embrace who she was. It was a metamorphosis that brought a proud smile to Art's face every time, watching her grow more and more into the confident and beautiful young woman she deserved to be.

Artorias didn't speak while Briar explained herself, his eyes watching her paw as it trailed up and down his foreleg and traced the gray slashes of fur that stood out against the azure blue. He lifted his gaze back to hold hers, some of that nervousness and anxiousness gone from his eyes. Briar concluded by saying that neither of them were perfect, and they'd be able to figure things out together. Then she said he was worth everything, and Artorias nearly broke. He loved Briar; oh, how he loved Briar. This wonderful fae understood him better than anyone else, connected with him on a level that deities would be envious of. She made him feel like the most important wolf alive with her sweet love. It was why he was confident in his knowledge that no one would ever be able to come close to her in his heart.

Briar leaned closer, and then he felt the soft brush of her lips against his own. Amber eyes slowly slid closed as he returned her kiss, and then the next one, and the one after that, returning every kiss she gave him, each one lingering a little bit longer. Every time her lips met his, Artorias felt his inner turmoil fade away, replaced by the familiar tug of desire deep in his belly, the fire that never truly died for her flaring to life once more. "I love you too," he replied in an equally low, husky voice. "You're worth everything to me as well." Briar would always mean everything to him. She was his first love, his true love. She would be his mate and his wife, the mother of his children, his queen to stand beside him to guide and reign with. She was his, just as he was hers. Nothing in the world of gods and wolves would ever change that.

Artorias kept his mouth pressed to hers as he kissed her back with the same fervor, a deep, needy passion pouring from his lips into hers. The embers inside him flared into a wildfire, wanting to show Briar just how much he loved her, and why she never had to fear him ever loving anyone else the way he loved her. As their kiss continued, he gently slipped his tongue into her maw, tasting her and deepening their kiss as much as he could. He only broke their lips apart once the need to breathe became overwhelming, gasping softly for breath while he gazed at her through lidded eyes smoldering with desire. "Y'know... I think the Hallows can survive without me for a little while," he suggested in that same husky tone, a little grin on his lips, wondering what Briar would make of his suggestion, especially after the conversation they'd had. Would she want him the way he wanted her, to stake her claim now and forever? Or would she deny him to recover from the unexpected events of the day?

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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It was always easy to get caught up in the desire that Artorias sparked in her when they kissed. From almost the very beginning, even before they really understood what it meant, he had made her feel like this back when they were sneaking kisses in the castle tower or at night in his room. There was always this immediate need and fire that made her want more of everything of him. It wiped her mind clear of anything else and made her press deeper into their kiss and she tasted him on her tongue. He made all of her inner turmoil and doubts, all the worries she carried on her, all the uncertainty she felt suddenly disappear as he made her feel wanted and loved in every way. Even with this new shape their relationship was taking she could still feel how much he wanted her and that helped her feel more confident in her choice. There was a small fear that one day he might stop kissing her this way, stop wanting her this way, but unless that day came she could be content with this new way of living their lives together.

When their lips finally parted she gasped softly to get a breath of air into her aching lungs and she blinked open her heated turquoise gaze to find an equally smoldering amber gaze looking back at her. A little grin pulled at her lips when he mentioned how The Hallows could probably survive without him for a little while, chuckling softly as she flicked a teasing lick across his nose. "Good, you have time to help me get these supplies to the storage," she said with a grin, her glance promising more, but she wasn't going to just lead him away to have him that easily. After all the turmoil he just put her through he was going to have to work for it at least a little bit. She nodded to the cart behind him and added, "Come on, lets get that stowed away," before turning to lead him into the plains, giving his muzzle a little flick of her tail as she went.

"Briar Fatalis"

When their kiss did finally come to an end, Artorias saw the heat in Briar's turquoise eyes that he knew was mirrored in his own flaming gaze. She grinned at him when he suggested he could stay for a little while longer, but while he had expected her to go right for him as she usually did, Briar instead gave his nose a lick to tease him and then told him he could help her put the supplies away. He blinked in surprise, then huffed and pouted a bit when he realized he'd set himself up for that and gave in with a reluctant groan. Briar simply motioned to the cart and told him to follow her, flicking the end of his muzzle with her tail in such a way that the young brute was left stupefied and gazing off after her with a helplessly hopeful and horny stare.

Realizing what she was promising him for his assistance, Artorias quickly re-attached himself to the cart and began pulling it into Armada lands, following behind his true love to their new stores so they could stock up. He didn't mind doing a little work for the reward of Briar at the end of it. Afterwards, he would follow Briar wherever she wanted to lead him, eager to show her how deeply he loved her and why she would always be the first and most important wolf in his life whom he would never love another like.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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