The day that the dreaded countdown had been leading to had finally arrived. The warm sunny days of summer had faded into cloudy and dreary weeks, a prequel to winter that Boreas was now on the eve of. The air had changed, the smell crisp and colder, and mornings had the all too familiar chill to frost on it. As the autumn drew to a close, so too did Artorias' time in the Armada. He had learned much from Sirius, seen the Warlord in action in daily routines and in times or crisis. He'd faced someone he thought an enemy and found reconciliation. He had seen a darker side of the world and bought a slave to free her from the torment she'd endured. He'd gotten closer to Briar and met her family. Now he could return home to resume his role as Baron, well equipped in practical knowledge, a little more worldly, and far more mature than when he'd arrived on these grass plains that would always feel like home to him.

Artorias had finished packing up the last of his belongings, donned his armor, slung Embershard across his back, and stepped out into the cool morning. He took one last lingering look back into the barracks that had been his home for the last season and smiled. Briar and Lia were already waiting for him outside, and he met both ladies with a warm smile and a touch of sadness in his amber eyes. He didn't want to leave either of them; Briar, his love, and Lia, the wolf he had saved. Knowing it would be the better part of a year before he saw them again made their farewell all the more sore. He would just have to hold out for them, ensure the Hallows was perfect for them when they arrived. Tears would be shed now for an eternity of smiles soon enough. That was what would keep him going through the cold of winter.

He didn't ask if they were ready to see him off; he knew that if given the choice, Briar and Lia would have followed him to the Hallows right there and then. It was very tempting to lead them off too. But he knew Briar's place was with her family, especially right now when they were facing down the barrel of a difficult season. This winter would be a challenge for the Armada and the Fatalis family. They would always have an ally in the pack to the south though, and with the blue-furred boy who would gaze north every day to come, ready to come if they called. When they arrived at the western border of Armada lands, Artorias paused, standing between two worlds as he gazed out to the road back home, then back into the rolling sea of hills and grass of the Armada—and into the cool turquoise and warm orange-brown eyes of his girls.

"Well, I guess this is it..." said Artorias, not exactly sure how to begin a goodbye as emotionally impactful as this one no doubt would be. He turned to face Briar and Lia, giving them all of him in these final minutes. He gave a weak chuckle and a bashful smile, letting them both have whatever goodbyes they wanted with him. He had things on his heart he wanted to say to them both, but as his mothers had taught him, ladies first.

"Artorias Sirius 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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Briar waited outside of the barracks uneasily with Lia while she waited for Artorias to finish gathering his things. They had put this moment off for as long as they possibly could and it took every bit of her resolve to keep herself from begging him to stay longer and to not go demand her freedom to go join Art in The Hallow immediately from her father. Artorias needed to get back to the pack that needed him and she was still needed here to help the Armada get through the winter - no matter how much it tore her up inside to see Artorias leaving. She held herself together as he came out to join them and all the way to the border she was close at his side, her ears pinned back while she tried to hold back the floodgate of emotion.

When he turned back to face them, saying how this was it, signaling the finality of his stay with them, she couldn't keep herself from throwing her forelegs around his neck and hugging him tight. She buried her face in his neck with a whine, biting her lip as she struggled against the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. "I wish you didn't have to go... I wish we could go with you..." she said softly, battling the waver in her voice to keep it at bay. It was a useless fight though. She had never been good at hiding her emotions, especially not around Artorias, and this was no exception. She wanted to think that maybe they could go visit The Hallows sometime over the next couple of seasons, but it was so hard to know what the future was going to hold. She reluctantly allowed her hold on his neck to loosen, stepping back so Lia could say goodbye as well if she wished.

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

Lia didn’t know how to say goodbye. She’d never had one before. She hadn’t had a chance to say it to her father, and her mothers departing snear had been anything but sorrowful. Since then, moving from owner to owner - it was just another face, another duty, another source of pain. Artorias had saved her, offered her more. More than that, her Mistress, Briar, who was gentle and kind to her, was struggling to hold back tears.

Lia felt out of place, but she wouldn’t have chosen to be anywhere else. She offered Art a smile, though it felt out of place on her lips. She rested a paw gently on Briar's back - a kind of gesture that would have been unheard of any other time, for anyone else. “I’ll look out for her.” She promised - they all knew she did not mean in might, of which she had little. But she would do her best to wipe away the Princess’s tears and keep her company.


Speech

Artorias gave a surprised "oof" when Briar spontaneously threw herself at him, feeling her strong forelegs wrap around his neck to pull him into a tight embrace, as if separating from him would end her life. He chuckled softly, nuzzling the top of Briar's head while simultaneously avoiding getting poked in the eye by her antlers, drawing in deep breaths of her scent to keep it fresh in his memory for the long months they'd be apart. He brought his paws up to wrap around Briar's back and squeeze her tight against him, placing soft kisses to Briar's crown. "I know, my love, I know..." he whispered, gently swaying to and fro with her in his arms for the duration of their embrace. "Soon though, I promise you both will be back with me."

He reluctantly let go of Briar when she pulled back, allowing him to turn a warm smile to Lia. The fire-hued girl promised she'd look out for Briar. He appreciated that, and showed it by stepping closer to nuzzle Lia's cheek. "I know you will, Lia. That means more to me than you know. " Pulling back enough to look Lia in the eye, he added, "Stay safe, both of you. I'll see you again before you know it." Giving Lia one final parting nuzzle to leave a trace of his scent across her should anyone try to take her from him and Briar, Artorias returned to Briar and gently but insistently caught her lips with his own in a slow, savoring kiss. He didn't break apart for several long seconds, resting his forehead against hers once he did to stare into her turquoise eyes with a smile one more time. "I love you," he whispered just for Briar to hear. Then he slipped away and walked across the border.

"I'll see you both in the summer! Be safe!" he called back to the two ladies, and with one last smile to hide his heartache, turned westward back to the path that led him home. He had learned so much about leadership, about the world, and about himself from his time in the Armada. Perhaps one day he would return to aid Sirius again, or maybe he would do it as an alpha rather than a student. Only time would tell. But for now, it was time for Artorias to return home. The road would be long and he would have much time to think and reflect on his lessons and experience. Corbin flew off overhead with his master, and Argent lingered behind the dark-furred wolf looking to catch one more glimpse of Marigold and blow her a kiss with an exaggerated wave before they disappeared past the whitewashed trees of Ashen lands.

"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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