After she was done in the infirmary, she lingered outside in the hallway for a moment locked in an internal debate. It was still early, and she was exhausted from a poor night's sleep leftover from the previous evening's events. However, try as she might, she couldn’t rationalize returning to her family’s room to try and fall back asleep. Dawn was still fresh, and everyone else would be awake soon … if they weren’t already. And while she wasn’t necessarily avoiding her siblings, she didn’t really want to have to answer a bunch of questions either. So her decision was swayed, and she found herself trailing off to one of her favorite spots in the entire castle. Crossing the threshold, her pale blue gaze immediately fell upon the patterned chaise near one of the windows. She didn’t hesitate to cross the room, and in a single bound, hauled herself up and nestled herself in.

While her gaze settled on the array of wildflowers that were sprouting up across the neighboring plains, her mind wandered back to last night’s encounter, and the upheaval of all logical emotion that had come with it. Without looking, she lightly grazed the bite on her forearm with her opposite paw. It echoed feelings of irritation, however, it just reinforced the fact that what happened … did indeed happen. The frustration of being ambushed, paired with having to rely on the cruel stranger to in fact do exactly what she despised him for doing. Did that make her a hypocrite? Violently killing other creatures was wrong, unless it suited her? She remembered struggling with all her might to keep the one coyote she had been responsible for handling at bay, and in the end, it had escaped her. Had she really been prepared to kill it?

Then following him to the river upon his request. In fairness, she wanted to clean the wound. Though, her morale compass had been silenced by adrenaline. She didn’t realize that she had made a wrong decision until it was nearly too late. If her parents hadn’t arrived when they did … oh, her parents. The look in her father’s eyes as he suddenly commanded the space to protect her. Being carried home- thankful for the comfort, but partially ashamed for the necessity. Watching the first few beats of her sire squaring off with the boy before her line of sight was disrupted by the ground cover. From then on, the rest of the evening had been a blur. All night long, she hadn’t been able to even begin to process what had happened.

Now, left alone with her own thoughts … she didn’t know where to start.

The aftermath of the encounter with the purple brute had seen Artorias plagued with restlessness and worry. Though he had managed to fight the purple brute back and protect his daughter and her innocence from her would-be rapist, it had all been in the nick of time. Too often did dark thoughts of what he and Briar might have found had they been a few minutes later—or how close they had come to possibly losing Talyssa entirely, whether to the feral coyotes or to the savage boy abducting her for his own debased purposes. It terrified the young father and kept him up that night. Thank the gods none of his worst nightmares had come true. Talyssa was safely home and secure behind their borders. Artorias had issued double patrols around the borders just in case the stranger decided to get bold and try his luck with the Aegis and his family again. If he did, Artorias would not be so kind and merciful a second time.

Sleep did not come for Artorias that night. He laid awake in the quiet darkness of the bedchambers as his family all slumbered soundly around him—all save for Talyssa, who had spent the evening down in the infirmary. He envied his pups for their peace and innocence that allowed them to sleep not knowing the darknesses and evils lurking in the world. The Carpathian brute had done all that he could to shield his family from that side of the world, but it seemed like his little Taly would be discovering it for herself far sooner than he would have liked. Now he had the inner debate of what he should do now… No doubt Talyssa would have questions for him about what happened. How did he answer them? Did he tell her the truth about the vile and lecherous intentions the brute had for her or did he deflect and try his best to keep shielding her? He knew he couldn’t protect her forever, but dammit, he shouldn’t have to explain what sexual assault was to his half a year old pup!

It was just before dawn when Artorias eventually gave up on sleep, his hyperactive brain far too addled with anxiety to calm down. With a tired grumble, the dire brute rolled out of bed and to his paws, gathering his sword and armor in preparation to begin his patrol. He dressed as quietly as he could and tiptoed out of the bedroom to avoid waking his queen or their pups, then made his way down the silent corridors of Hearthstone to the first level. His path diverted from its usual course outside to stop by the infirmary to check on Talyssa, only to find she wasn't in there. A bit of panic rose in Artorias' chest, but a quick scent check found Taly's scent leading into the nearby lounge. The door was pushed open a smidge, and peering inside, the sire found his daughter relaxing on one of the chaises looking out the window at the pre-dawn world. It seemed he wasn't the only one plagued with insomnia tonight... Pushing open the door with a soft creak of wood, Artorias crossed the room to join Talyssa at the window, checking on her leg when he drew near. "Couldn't sleep, huh?" It was rhetorical, but she was free to respond as she pleased. "Do you want to take a walk with me? I think there's some things you probably want to ask me."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

In the end, she wasn’t alone. She never truly was. At least not within the walls of hearthstone. Her mind blazed as she tried to find the end of the string to untangle her mind, but it all came to a crashing halt with the unexpected creak at the door to the lounge. Talyssa stifled a gasp as her attention immediately shifted from the picturesque scene outside toward the threshold to the corridor- just to see her sire enter the room. She offered him a soft grin beneath her obviously sleep-deprived gaze in response to his open observation of the fact that she too wasn’t able to sleep. Likely for the same reasons they were in shared company. But he was quick to cut to the chase of sorts, offering to chaperone a walk in anticipation of a discussion that was best conducted in some semblance of privacy. Or perhaps, it was just to simply be courteous of their pack mates that were still asleep. She wasn’t sure. Regardless, she offered a slow nod.

It was then she recognized that he was in full armor- his sword sheathed, ready and prepared for anything that he might encounter. Lys cast a glance out the window once more for a brief moment to get a more accurate idea of time, before returning to face her father. She drew the conclusion that he had likely been on his way out for a dawn patrol, and while a walk was a walk … she thought that it might be nice to have an additional purpose to their outing- in case they needed something to fall back on, or an excuse to take a break. “I could go with you on patrol?” Talyssa offered. She had gone one time with Balthier when she was younger. But since she wasn’t as battle-inclined as some of her siblings, she had generally left that part of pack life alone. But in light of recent events … it might not hurt to adopt some of those tendencies, even if it wasn’t one of her primary skills.

Artorias did not need an actual confirmation from Talyssa to know that she had been kept from sleep by an overactive mind, but the slow, almost sad nod and tired grin she gave him just served to further show the sire how badly his daughter had been affected by her experience. She was such a strong spirit, but even he could see she had been worn down in the aftermath of what had occurred. Damn that violet bastard for taking her peace of mind. Thank the gods it was only her peace of mind he had stolen from her... or he wouldn't have stopped at a beating and the crows would have feasted well last night. He offered her a walk with him, and after a brief glance back out the window by his tawny child, Taly looked back and asked if she could go on a proper patrol with him. Artorias was surprised, but more so he was relieved to see that she wasn't afraid of the outside world. A part of him had feared that she might develop the same sort of adversity to going beyond the castle walls like Gwynevere had when she had been attacked. Thankfully that was not the case, and the sire was all too glad to let his child accompany him.

"Fireşte. Come, Taly." Artorias motioned with a flick of his head for Talyssa to follow him, lingering in the doorway for his daughter to climb off of her chaise and join him at his side. Offering his girl a gentle half smile, the Aegis led the way for the two wolves out of the castle proper and across the courtyard until they had passed out of the gates of Hearthstone and into the plains. It was still dark as the dawn sun was just beginning to rise on the eastern horizon, the sky turning into shades of pale blue and pink just beyond the forest. A cool breeze rippled from the west across the land, bringing with it the smell of salt from the sea as it tousled the wolves' fur. Artorias had doubled up the patrols when he had returned last night just in case their unwelcome visitor decided to try his luck again, so he knew they were free to patrol wherever their hearts desired and it would be fine.

Looking down to Talyssa, Artorias decided to let her make the choice for them. "Which path would you like to patrol, Lys? The western path by the sea or the eastern path by the woods?" Whichever choice Taly made, once she had decided, Artorias would turn in that direction and begin to lead the way across the lush plains toward their patrol route. Somewhere in the distance songbirds were beginning to chirp, signaling the coming of the new day. It was so peaceful and serene, the way Art always wanted the world to be. But he couldn't save the world, and he could only fix and protect so much... There was a somber expression on the dire wolf's face as he kept stealing glances down at Talyssa, making sure she was still okay. "Do you want to talk about what's on your mind, Lyssa? I imagine you have more questions for me after yesterday's events." Artorias knew what this conversation would eventually have to entail, but if they began where the girl's curiosities lay, maybe he would be able to ease his way into the more severe topics instead of floundering trying to figure out how to have this talk.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

Whatever her father had been expecting, it seemed that a request to go on patrol wasn’t it. Even still, she thought she could see evidence of a pleasant surprise spread across his features- perhaps an indication of relief. Talyssa offered a bit more of a brightened grin as he made the decision to allow it. When she was instructed to come along, she was quick to respond by quietly falling into step as the Aegis lead the way out of lounge, through his castle, and out of the grand foyer.

Outside it was a completely different world than what she had left it as the night before. While the sun was very slowly making its entrance for the day, it hadn’t had the opportunity to offer its warmth. The air was still crisp from the lengthening night brought on by the transition of autumn. However, it made for a pleasant walk through the territory- off toward the plains so her sire would have it. And just as the faint dawn light began to brighten along the horizon line, the song of birds filtered through the air as the awakened to greet the day. There was something peaceful about it. Forgiving. As the tranquility washed over her, she offered a deep but silent inhale- clenching her eyes shut for a moment as she concentrated on the echo of waves in the distance- the pattern of her stride next to her father’s. The momentary repose washed away any sort of anxiousness she might have had. How could anything go wrong in paradise?

Talyssa could have lived in that instant forever. However, she knew that reality needed to be addressed. Blinking away the brief daydream, she returned her attention to her sire just as he asked for her opinion on which path they should take. “How about the path by the sea?” She offered, not that it truly mattered to her. Even still, an answer was an answer. It was the next questions that caused her chest to wrench, though not for the reasons one would think. “I’m sorry.” She finally said with a sigh. The injury wasn’t so bad- superficial at best. However, it was the guilt that racked her which hurt the most. “I shouldn’t have been there. I should have come home earlier. I shouldn’t have been that far away.” Once she started, she couldn’t stop flood of emotion that ensued. “I shouldn’t have put myself in that situation. I-I shouldn’t have listened to him. I- I- I” Her voice began to tremble beyond control as her pale glaze glistened with the threat of tears. “Îmi-mi pare rău, Tati.”

Artorias was patient with his daughter. Talyssa had been through a monumentally challenging day, faced down repulsive things she never should have had to, and now she was grappling to wrap her young psyche around what had transpired. Such violence, death, and lasciviousness... None of it should have been shown to a child. But Talyssa had been exposed to it all, and Artorias was not naive enough to believe that she would walk away from that experience unscathed. It was more than likely that his daughter would forever be changed by it, a part of her youthful innocence stolen away by that bastard. Just thinking about Sephiran made the Aegis' blood boil and an uncharacteristic rage he hadn't felt since his youth burned in his heart. If it weren't for the desire to protect his family overruling that primal bloodlust, the dire brute might have started hunting down the fucker that tried to force himself upon his daughter. Sephiran had gotten off easy with an ass beating and a threatening. He would not be granted that mercy again.

But Artorias remained calm and collected as he spent time with Talyssa. The last thing he wanted to do was alert his little girl to the dark thoughts stewing in his brain. This was a time for them to come down from the adrenaline rush and heightened emotions, not to rekindle them again. Taly was quiet for the most part, but when prompted to pick a path for them to walk, she unknowingly picked his favorite. Artorias loved the sea, and it seemed that love had been passed on to his progeny as well. The father and daughter walked along the western path along the far edges of the plains, where the grasses sloped down steady hills to reach the golden sands below. He breathed deep the salty sea air in the cool morning, letting it fill his lungs and rejuvenate him. His shoulder and right foreleg still ached from the fight with Sephiran, but for the most part he had fortunately escaped unscathed. He would have to remember to give Corbin and Eira special treats for their swift aid.

Lyssa's abrupt apology caught her sire's attention with perked ears and empathetic eyes that almost glowed in the dim dawn light. Artorias would not interrupt, allowing Talyssa to explain herself at her own pace. She apologized for being out in the woods in the first place, for not coming home as it grew dark, for putting herself in that situation with Sephiran. Seeing his little girl so close to tears as she stammered out her apology in their mother tongue broke his heart, and Artorias stopped their patrol on the spot, turning to face his whimpering pup so he could reach down and wrap her up in his forelegs, embracing her against his giant form to offer her comfort and protection against her inner torment. Though she had grown so much, she was still a small nugget compared to her dire wolf sire, and in his heart she would forever be his little girl. "Shhh... Fetița mea dulce, nu plânge. You're safe and you're alive. That's all that matters to me right now." Art gently rubbed over Taly's back with one large blue paw allowing her to cry if she wished, but shielding her from all that would dare to hurt her so.

"Yesterday, you learned a lot of hard and scary lessons. You are still so young and there is much for you to experience and learn. But you also learned what that gut feeling of knowing when something is wrong and when you're in danger feels like. Now you'll remember that feeling for the rest of your life, and you know whenever you feel it, you need to get yourself out of that situation. I would have preferred you felt it long before it got to the point it did yesterday, but I'll take my small victories and silver linings where I can find them." For a while, Artorias just comforted and rubbed Talyssa's back, letting her release those turbulent emotions as she needed. He might not have been the kind of therapist Laeta was or the empath Gwyn was, but Artorias was still a highly emotional wolf. He encouraged his children to feel and vent those emotions when they needed to instead of keeping them tamped down inside to fester. But as understanding and gentle as Artorias was trying to be with his daughter, there was also a need for some firmness here too. The Aegis' gaze hardened a bit as he thought of the compromising situation he had found Taly in with the vagabond. "You are never allowed to be around that wolf again, Taly. If you see Sephiran Saxe again, you turn and you run. Do you understand?" He gave his pup a moment to respond, then added, "And if any wolf ever looks at you like that or touches you or makes you feel uncomfortable the way he did, you run and you tell me and your mother. No wolf is allowed to lay a paw on you or look at you the way he did."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

Just as her initial apology came to a conclusion, they eventually slowed to a stop- forgetting the patrol for a moment as they dealt with such a heavy topic. As each step had become heavier with the crest of emotion, she was subconsciously thankful- but it was her father’s embrace that brought her the most comfort. She immediately surrendered, allowing herself to be gathered up and reassured, taking solace in the gentle tone of his voice that resonated deep within her own heart and soul. After she had a moment to recover herself, she couldn’t help but perk up ever so slightly as Artorias began his own insight.

The problem was, she didn’t realize she was in danger from Sephiran until she realized he wasn’t going to allow her to walk away without contest. Things had happened so quickly after they had been ascended upon by the coyotes … he had made himself seem like he wanted to help her- fighting off the other predators and offering to help clean the wound she had sustained. Perhaps it was the adrenaline that had clouded her judgment? Maybe he was just good at making himself seem like he wasn’t a bad guy? Or maybe it was her, not wanting to acknowledge that someone could possibly be a threat. That was something that would have to change, and as her father described the lesson that she learned yesterday, she offered him a nod in acknowledgement- pulling back a bit to ensure he could see the sincerity in her features as she absorbed everything he said. When he issued the decree that she wouldn’t be allowed to interact with Sephiran ever again, she would immediately echo her response. “Yes, Tati, I understand.” If she had anything to do with it, she never wanted to see the purple brute ever again. But the problem was, there were probably more Sephiran Saxes in the world- which seemed to be the train of thought that her father was pursuing as well. “I will, I promise.” Talyssa answered earnestly, hoping that he believed her.

Though as he continued to advise her to run, her mind drifted to the beginning of the whole ordeal. She had been running. And she had ran right into a trap. “Do you think … maybe one day, you could show me things I can do to better defend myself? I know how to run- but what if I couldn’t?” She felt a little embarrassed to ask, especially how blatantly disinterested in fighting she had always been … and how involved her siblings had been in their own pursuit for training. But with the events that had occurred yesterday, interested or not, she could see the value in being better prepared. And while she had a good understanding of where to start … her practical application was significantly lacking. “Yesterday, I didn’t see the first coyote coming. It ambushed me, and before I could get back up going again, the others were already there.” She finished, thinking back to the previous day as a perfect example of how running might not have immediately been an option. Of course, Sephiran had been there as well- and he had done most of the fighting, but she hadn’t completely evaded the encounter herself.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

This was a heavy conversation for the two of them to have, but unfortunately it had become a necessary one. Talyssa listened closely to all the words Artorias said to her, and the father was grateful for his daughter's attentiveness. For now, his sole focus was comforting her, reassuring her that she was safe and not in trouble, and teaching her these hard lessons so that they never needed to have this talk again. She didn't resist him or offer any objections when he declared that she was to never see Sephiran again and that eased his worries some. Knowing that Talyssa now fully understood the dangers of that brute was the best silver lining he could take from this situation. But whether she understood the true nature of his depravity remained to be seen. That line of conversation was far from done yet. "Fată buna," he said when she acknowledged his decree. Of course he believed Taly's promise; he had no reason to doubt her or think she would lie to him. Talyssa was a good girl with a good heart. Too good, sometimes, for her own good, but it was a point of pride in her character for Artorias.

The next request Talyssa had for him took Artorias by a bit of surprise. His little tawny girl wanted to learn some ways to defend herself. The astonishment was apparent in her sire's wide eyes and he hesitated on a response. Of course he wanted all of his children to be able to protect themselves if they ever faced any harm—what parent wouldn't? But at the same time, he didn't want Talyssa to think she had to give up a part of herself or her character because of that. Taly had always been such a gentle, sweet girl, so uninterested in fighting and battle, caring more for exploring and investigating her world and the creatures that inhabited it. Now, as he looked down at his hopeful little girl, he just prayed that she wasn't losing that part of herself that made her so unique. "If that is what you want, then of course I will, Taly," he assured her, reaching a large sapphire paw up to brush over her cheek. "But promise me that no matter what, you'll always stay this sweet girl I've known and loved forever. Being able to protect yourself does not always mean being ready to fight, and I don't want you to feel you must be like your brothers and sisters to stay safe. There are so many wonderful things that make you uniquely you, Lyssa. Please don't ever let the world try to take those from you."

Fixing his daughter with a gentle smile, Artorias slowly released her and motioned with a flick of his head for Talyssa to follow him. He diverted their path off their patrol route slightly, leading her through the plains until they reached the edge of the coast where the plains sloped down to the golden shores. Artorias sat on the grass, looking out over the sea as it began to gradually brighten with the rising sun behind them, the melodic sound of the waves lapping at the beach filling the air with tranquil nature song. "Do you understand why Sephiran was so dangerous to you, Talyssa?" he asked after a few moments of quiet, still wrestling with how he wanted to handle this conversation. "Do you know what he was trying to get from you, what he was after?" Artorias looked down to Taly, trying his best not to make it awkward, but he needed to explain why what that purple brute was doing was bad, and to make sure Talyssa didn't develop a negative association with romance and sex following the event.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

Clearly, a request for self-defense lessons hadn’t been anywhere on her father’s radar. Rightly so, as she had never expressed interest in anything more than just the basics before. Though, it still didn’t make her any less self-conscious about her inquiry. She offered him a softened grin as he put his thoughts together on the matter. His immediate response was one of acceptance, though the affectionate touch at her cheek felt a little more apprehensive than what his words conveyed. As he went on to express that he didn’t want things to change, that he didn’t want her to feel like she had to be like her siblings to be safe, she couldn’t help but wilt a little. It almost made her feel a little guilty for wanting to pursue a more proactive approach. “I promise, Tati.” She echoed once again. She couldn’t help but look away for a moment before trying to piece things together for herself. “I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to fight, I just-” She hesitated, struggling to make the decision if she should try and justify herself or not. In the end, she felt like she needed to. With a light sigh, she returned her attention to her sire. “What if you or Mami, or Thorn, or Kea, or Dusk, or Brammy, or anybody else aren’t around?” Talyssa went on. “This is home. I love it here, and I’ll always come back to it … but I want to see the world, Tati. I know you say you’ll always be there when I need you, and I don’t doubt that- not for a second … but there may come a time when I’m further away than the neighboring territory …” She trailed off, searching his face for any indication as to what he might be thinking in that moment. After a brief pause, she once again offered him that gentle grin that perhaps was a mirror of his own. “The world won’t take anything from me if I don’t allow it. I just need to spend a little more time learning how … I want to be prepared.” She finished, hoping that her father understood where she was coming from and why she felt the way she did.

When he finally released her, she moved at once to right herself while lightly rubbing the back of one of her paws across her eyes to clear anything that might have lingered. After the moment she took to compose herself, she followed her father’s lead- uncertain of what was the proper route, and where they were actually going. When the plains began to open up into the ocean, they slowed to a stop once again, acknowledging her sire’s intention to settle. Though, this time, she chose to continue standing- leaning into the breeze as it rolled off the water and up the incline to where they were situated.

She hadn’t expected the questions she was presented with next, and honestly, she hadn’t given it much thought. After a somewhat extended pause, she finally turned to face the Aegis, clearing her throat to speak. “I think he wanted to hurt me since he seemed to like to see others suffer.” She answered lowly, thinking back to the fox he mutilated on the beach. He obviously hadn’t attacked her like that in either encounter, but maybe he was going to? “But … he didn’t truly scare me until right before you got there. I said I needed to leave and was starting to walk away, but he blocked my path. I was going to run, then … or jump into the river if I had to. But then you and Momma came.” She explained, trying to describe the events that led up to the scene that her parents had discovered upon their arrival.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Talyssa visibly shrunk inwards when Artorias tried to reassure her that she didn’t need to change herself for the world and it struck the father right in the heart. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew his daughter was 100% right. There would come a time when she would be on her own, traveling the world, visiting other packs, following her heart and exploring her passions. And no matter how much he wished it weren’t so, Artorias knew the world was not a pure and kind place all of the time. He would not always be able to protect her from everything. ”You can’t save the world, Art.” He grimaced inwardly as his sister’s far too accurate words from the past came back to haunt him once more. After a moment of thought more, the dire brute breathed a long sigh and nodded his head. "You’re right, Talyssa. Îmi pare rău. As much as I would wish to, I need to let you live your own life. One day you’ll be a grown wolfess, following your dreams, seeing the world for yourself. You deserve the ability to do so safely and to be able to look out for yourself." Art looked down to his daughter, realizing just how much she had grown already. His little girl, almost a yearling, was so much more mature than her age would reveal. "I will teach you everything you want to know about how to protect yourself. You have a right to have the means to keep yourself alive and safe. I’m sure your siblings would love to spar with you for practice too. We’ll make sure you’re prepared for anything."

To his questions about Sephiran’s intentions, Talyssa took a moment to consider, then answered in the broad strokes Artorias more or less expected from his innocent daughter. She knew he wanted to hurt her and was going to attack her if she tried to leave, she had picked up on that just before his intervention. Hearing that she had been prepared to dive into the river to escape brought a small amused smirk to the proud father’s lips. That was his smart girl, looking for avenues of escape like he’d told her to. "You are right, Sephiran did intend to hurt you in a very specific way. He was trying to force you into mating with him, Talyssa. It's something adults do with one another, and should only be done when it's consensual between both wolves, never by force or coercion. The way he looked at you, the way he touched you and tried to force himself on you, those are ways no brute should ever act towards a fae, and doubly so for a yearling to be acting towards a pup," her sire explained to her, trying his best to be tactful with his wording. "If any wolf ever touches you, looks at you, or says or does anything that makes you feel uncomfortable like that, you treat them as a threat and get away from them. When you're older—much older—and your body and mind have finished maturing, then you can explore that part of life. Until then, no one has any business trying to do anything to you that feels wrong." For all the challenges the Aegis had faced in his life, this one felt like the hardest. No doubt he was feeling as awkward as Talyssa likely was as this conversation continued, so he wouldn't linger on the issue unless she had further questions for him. He just needed to make sure his daughter understood the danger, the implications, and what was and was not appropriate or allowed for a pup and a yearling.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

As they spoke, Talyssa was sure she could almost see her father struggling with his own thoughts. Honestly, it was a bit comforting knowing that this was difficult for him as well. That maybe this was an example of an instance where there was no good answer. When he finally sighed, she was not expecting the answer that would follow. Lys immediately softened, meeting his gaze as he looked down at her. While she was relieved to hear his true acceptance, it wasn’t something worth getting excited about. She hated that this was even a discussion that they needed to have, but unfortunately, it was. “Thank you, Tati. Your support means a lot.” As she offered her appreciation, she pressed herself against his chest a little more tightly. “I don’t know what I would do without it.”

When he went on to describe that it was more specific than simply trying to hurt her, Talyssa tilted her head to the side as she processed her father’s explanation. The tone he used conveyed a far more serious nature. And while she was unfamiliar as a whole, she wasn’t entirely clueless either. As he described it as a consensual act, never out of force or coercion, she offered a subtle nod as a sign of acknowledgement. Though she understood the necessity of it, this kind of talk made her uncomfortable. As her father pointed things out; the way Sephiran looked at her, the way he had touched her under the guise of trying to help, and how he was obviously been prepared to try and detain her- all things that had been said to her before. But this time, she was given a sense of clarity as the context of things brought her recognition. Everything Sephiran had done and said started to all make sense in the worst way possible. She felt dumb. Naïve. Unclean. As she recalled more and more from both their encounters, her pale gaze widened as it settled on the ocean out in the distance. Talyssa was vaguely aware of her father continuing on. Reiterating that it was important to treat such a behavior as a threat, though the sudden feelings of shock and panic layered on embarrassment made it difficult to concentrate. Only when she realized he was done talking for the moment, did she think to answer. “Okay … I’ll be more careful.” She answered softly, not entirely sure if it even made sense within their conversation. Though Talyssa was lost beyond the point of trying to make sense of things at the moment- evaluating every word she exchanged with the Saxe boy. What a fool she had been.

"Talyssa Carpathius"

Gods above, did Artorias love his little girl so much! His sweet Talyssa, his treasure, seeing her happy was worth anything and everything he gave for just a moment of her smile. She pressed herself closer to his chest as she thanked him for understanding, for treating her the same as all her other siblings. Artorias embraced his daughter, holding her close with a bit of a rueful smile. He hated the circumstances that had brought them to this point, but he would be damned if he let this do anything other than make his daughter all the stronger for it. "Ai mereu sprijinul meu și credința mea, puțină dragoste," came the gentle rumbling reply of her oversized sire before he reluctantly let her slip from his arms.

The real problems came with the next part of their conversation. Artorias was forced to watch as dark recognition dawned on Talyssa's face as she understood just what sort of danger she had been in, how close she had come to being violated in ways unbeknownst to her. In a way, it felt like Artorias was being forced to watch as a part of his daughter's innocence was irrevocably stolen away from her. He just thanked the gods that her innocence hadn't been physically ripped away from her. Looking almost traumatized, Taly just gave a wordless nod to show she was listening and she heard him, but the distant thousand-yard-stare in her eyes wrenched at Artorias' soul. Gods he wanted to go hunt down Sephiran and make him suffer even more for what he'd caused! But for the sake of his child, Art showed no signs of anger, nothing beyond softness and empathy. Talyssa could not know how her own sire had been subjected to such depraved traumas and violations himself. He understood better than most. But it didn't make this conversation any easier, nor the words said and not said any less challenging.

She was thinking. Talyssa was getting lost in her head and thoughts again; Artorias was familiar with that spacey look in his daughter's eyes. But this was not a headspace he could let herself get tangled up in. Lips pulling together in a tight line, the Aegis leaned closer to bump his snout against the end of his child's to tear her attention away from her own thinking, gesturing for her to follow him and resume their walk. "Don't let your mind take you down dark paths, Lys. You're safe, you came away from a difficult situation alive and unscathed. That is the best I could ask for." Artorias breathed a heavy sigh and looked out across the plains towards the eastern sky, watching the navy hues of night melt away into paler tones as the dawn sun made its presence known. "Would you like to continue our talk, or would you like me to take you back so you can get some sleep, puțină dragoste?"

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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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