Recovery was far too slow a process for Artorias' liking. All he did was lie around in the infirmary all day, waiting away time between meals and sleep. It felt like he was living in stasis, watching the world pass around him while he waited to be well enough to join it once more. Thankfully he had Briar to keep him company during the long stretches of nothingness. Since her arrival, she had stayed at his side, keeping him company, sneaking little kisses in where she could, and helping him with whatever he needed. He was beyond grateful for her support and love, not only since it made the recovery process easier, but it helped him feel like less of a burden on the rest of his family. Tamsyn seldom left the infirmary, and poor Bowen had spent every waking moment at his side up until her arrival. Everyone needed a break, and he wanted to stop feeling so useless.

How sad, Artorias thought to himself, that the first thing the new Aegis does is nearly get himself killed. It really was a blow to his self-esteem, to be named the alpha of his pack only to be laid low by a mortal nemesis. His confidence was shattered, his image of himself in tatters. But the worst part was that his sword had been stolen. Embershard, the last gift from his mother, the physical embodiment of her faith in him to be her little knight, in the paws of an enemy. He hated himself for his failure, and it showed in his mood when left to ruminate on the events that had transpired. He was no alpha. He was a broken knight, robbed of his valor, his courage, and his blade.

Artorias was gazing out the window at the bright sunny day just outside in the courtyard. Gods, how he longed to be able to walk and move again. He wanted to feel the sun on his skin, the breeze in his fur, grass beneath his paws. He wanted to roam and run and jump and train. Here, it just felt like he was waiting for death. A deep sigh left the dark-furred brute staring longingly outside, wishing so badly that he hadn't been so reckless and foolhardy. This was a painful lesson he would never forget.

"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 had stuck close to Artorias' side while he remained in the infirmary healing and she was really beginning to struggle with the thought of having to eventually go back home. The day after she got here Willow had come looking for her and she had asked the falcon to go tell at least Lia where she was so her handmaiden wouldn't worry, but she began to wonder how long she could stay here before her father came looking for her. Would he even notice that she was gone? Perhaps they would all leave her be as long as Lia was there to report on her whereabouts. At the very least Willow hadn't come back looking for her again so perhaps she would be left alone at least for the time being. She hated that she had to worry about her father trying to peel her away and drag her back to the Armada while Artorias was still recovering. All she wanted was to focus on Artorias and focus on helping him get back on his feet without having to have her family in the back of her mind. If she was just able to live with him permanently then she wouldn't have this problem, but that wasn't a frustration she could solve right now.

She had stepped out of the infirmary for just a few moments, preparing a little snack for them both and refilling the water skins before she returned to the room that had become exceedingly familiar in the days that they had spent here. She couldn't be convinced to go stay in one of the guest rooms or his room. She was exactly where she wanted to be - at his side helping him get better. She couldn't ask for anything else. When she walked back into the infirmary she caught a glimpse of him sighing as he stared longingly out of the nearby window and she glanced between him and the window, a little frown pulling at the corners of her lips. There wasn't much she could do for him besides keeping him company and fetching things he needed - but perhaps she could help him with one other thing.

Briar walked determinedly toward his bed and sat down the food and water she had been carrying on a near by table before turning to him with a mischievous smirk. "How are you feeling? Well enough to stand?" she asked, grinning as she leaned toward him to leave a little kiss on his lips. Gwyn had been having him stand and pace for short periods over the last couple of days to get his muscles moving and to keep him from being so stationary, but he still hadn't left the infirmary. It was just the two of them right now so there was no one to stop her and her ideas. Maybe she couldn't help him with any sort of medicine or healing, but maybe she could help brighten his day a little bit. "Come on, I'm breaking you out of here."

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

Black-furred ears swiveled back to catch the faint sound of claws clicking on stone floors. He turned his gaze from the window to Briar crossing the room towards him with some food and water, setting them down on the small table beside his bed. He gave her a rueful smile, thankful for all she did for him, but still he was unable to shake those sensations of failure, shame, and factitiousness. Though his wounds hadn't been life-threatening, Oxx had done far more damage to the young brute's confidence than he had his body. Briar asked if he felt well enough to stand with this roguish grin on her face. It took Artorias a moment to realize what she was hinting at until gave him a little kiss and said she was breaking him out.

Artorias' expression lit up and he glanced out the window again with an eager grin. Gwynevere would probably have a conniption if she saw him deliberately disobeying her strict bedrest order, but fuck it. If he stayed in here any longer, he was going to lose his gods damned mind. Gwyn had been going through some basic physical therapy with him to help restore strength back to his hypothermia and exsanguination-weakened muscles, and it had gotten to the point where he could stand and walk short periods on his own without support. While he trusted Gwyn's medical professionalism, part of him did wonder if she was being overly cautious with his treatments because he was her brother and because he was the Aegis. There was only one real way to test how his body was recovering and that was putting it to the test with daily activities.

"Please," he begged Briar with a snicker. "If I don't get some sun on my fur, I'm going to go crazy!" Shifting over to the edge of his bed, he carefully slid down to the floor. His legs wobbled a little when he caught himself, but he managed to stay standing, rising to his full height without much trouble. The stitches on the back of his neck tugged at the scarring skin, irritating but not painful anymore. They would be able to be removed soon. Grinning at his own progress, he smiled at Briar, then began to make his way slowly to the door. Walking felt strange, but he was managing it with steady and measured steps. His legs felt numb, as if all of his muscles had lost sensation, but he could feel them pushing and moving to keep him up on his paws and moving forward.

With Briar's help, he was able to make his way slowly down the corridor to the foyer and out into the warm summer-like sun of the courtyard. The sweet fragrance of flowers and honeysuckle hung in the air like a floral perfume, accenting every little breeze that rippled through the enclosed gardens. Breathing in deep the fresh air, Artorias released his breath in a contented sigh and lifted careful paws one after the other until he felt soft grass beneath rough paw pads. The sun warmed his fur, and Artorias basked in the natural elements as much as he could without leaving the castle grounds. His body didn't feel weak or aching or exhausted anymore. Instead, he was beginning to feel more like himself again. Almost like he could go running through fields and climbing mountains and swimming in seas again.

"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' face lit up at her suggestion of getting him out of here made any wrath she received from Gwynevere later more than worth it. It seemed like the moments when he looked really happy were so few and far between now and all she wanted was to was to get him to smile. "That's the spirit!" she joked with a grin, her tail wagging gently behind her. As he started sliding down off of the bed, she stood by ready to catch him just in case, but he was able to stay standing fairly well and even though she had to help him occasionally as they made their way out of the room and down the corridor he really was making good progress and that made relief and pride swell in her chest. Logically she knew that he was getting the best care imaginable and he was going to easily make a full recovery, but she just couldn't shake that deep seated fear she had felt when she was racing down here to get to him. She wasn't sure she'd really be fully satisfied until he was back to his old habits of patrolling and fighting again.

For today though she would be content with just seeing him breathe in fresh air and bask in the sunlight as he made careful steps out into the courtyard to stand in the grass. She watched him with loving adoration and amazement. She didn't care what the outcome of the fight had been and she was beginning to get over her frustration with his refusal to ask for help or bring someone with him. She could still be proud of the fact that he had fought for his family and had made it out to the other side. She kept close to his side just in case he needed some help with his balance until they reached a good stopping point. They settled among a patch of flowers near one of the trees in the courtyard, helping him down onto his stomach before settling beside him and lightly leaning into his side with a grin. She kissed his cheek and nuzzled into his neck with a contented sigh, just as happy to be outside as he was. She had been equally as cooped up, though hers was much more voluntary than his had been.

"I'm so happy you're feeling better," she said softly, giving little teasing kisses around his jaw and ear, giving him a grin. Of course there was still more work to do and patience to be had before he was fully back to tip top fighting shape, but he was well on his way. Her paw traced over his foreleg, gently stroking back and forth while she snuggled with him in the shade. The slim infirmary beds weren't exactly conducive to snuggling and cuddling so besides sneaking kisses and leaning her head on the bed so they could nuzzle or lay together like that so this was the most affection she had been able to give him since she got here.

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

Artorias cast a content smile to Briar as she came up alongside him, joining him in the gardens. Although the Carpathian castle would always be his home and his domain, nothing could ever take Artorias' love for the natural world and being outdoors. The two wolves made themselves over to a bed of flowers beneath a large wisteria tree in the expansive courtyard. The tree's blossoms had since fallen off in favor of verdant green leaves, but it was still beautiful and perfect for shielding them from the hot "winter" sun. Artorias gradually eased himself down to the ground, his legs wobbling a bit as he supported his weight until he was lying on his belly sprawled out across the soft grass. He smiled lovingly up at Briar as she lay down beside him, amber eyes shining with adoration for his gorgeous fae.

He chuckled under his breath and replied, "Me too, my beautiful princess." A grin slowly spread across his face with little hums and murrs of delight while his girlfriend peppered his jaw and cheek with light teasing kisses. Artorias savored all of the little affections she gave him, from her soft kisses to her silky paws running up and down his forelegs. Although Briar had gone above and beyond for him in terms of his care, he knew how much she wanted to love on him, and the cramped hospital beds weren't exactly cohesive to cuddling or kissing in each other's arms. This was as much a breath of fresh air for her as it was for him.

When Briar came in to kiss his cheek again, he turned his muzzle to catch her lips in a quick kiss, grinning and snickering to himself. "Thank you for doing this for me. It's exactly what I needed right now." Fresh air, affection, and a distraction.

"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.
____________________

When his head turned to catch her lips in a quick kiss she returned it with a pleased hum, a grin pulling across her lips while her tail wagged and brushed against his hip happily. "Of course. You don't need to thank me. I could tell how stir crazy you were getting, but so was I," she replied with a chuckle, curling her paw around his elbow as she settled in to enjoy the warm Auster day with him. Last winter they had been stuck in the terrible ice age so Auster hadn't been all that much different from Boreas when it came to snow and cold, but this year it was far warmer and it just added to the list of reasons why she would rather be here an in Boreas. The weather was honestly a small perk in comparison to getting to be with Artorias, but even a small perk was still something to add to the list. "It really is beautiful here," she added as she looked up toward the clear blue sky through the leaves of the magnolia tree they were laying under, a little smile pulling at her lips. "I'd love to see more of Auster sometime. I'm sure you've criss crossed all over Auster already at this point, but you could take me to your favorite places," He was much more of an explorer than she was, but she still liked seeing the sights with him and loved the eye he had for beautiful landscapes. She'd never forget the first time he took her up to the top of the tower so she could look out over Auster.

She brought her turquoise gaze back down to look at the bangle around her foreleg, smiling as she rotated her foreleg one way and then another in a shaft of light, watching the amber stones glitter and sparkle. It was kind of crazy to think that it had nearly been two full seasons since he gifted this to her in mid summer. It didn't feel like it had been that long, but at the same time it felt like ages had passed. "I don't guess my mom ever actually talked to you about a birthday celebration while you were staying in the Armada, did she?" she asked, giving him a glance as he confirmed her suspicions. She gave a little nod and looked back down at her bracelet. "Okay. I was just curious and never got to ask you about it. She said she was going to when I talked to her, but I also haven't gotten to talk to her since then so..." She just gave a little shrug and looked back up at him with a small smile. She had given up hope on expecting anything from her parents. After her talk with her mother she had really thought maybe something would be different. She had written off her father's issues for so long as just the strain that her mother's absence had caused, but now that Zee was back she wasn't really sure anything had changed. With everything else that had happened her birthday felt like a silly, petty thing to think about, but it wasn't necessarily the fact the birthday itself that she was bothered by. It was more the feeling that her and her litter mates had been forgotten. Maybe it was the birthday thing that started this domino effect of her thoughts, but it wasn't the only issue.

She quickly shrugged it off, giving his foreleg a little squeeze with her paw. Him being attacked and hurt really had put things into perspective. She had already had to shift and refocus to figure out what was really important to her when he told her about the love and desires he felt for other women, but this had just cemented things for her. It still didn't sit right with her that she hadn't been here to force him to let her help with his search or hadn't been here to talk some sense into him before he went running off to fight this obviously dangerous brute. She didn't know if she really would have tipped the balance one way or another, but the fact that she hadn't even been with him to try still bothered her. Living without him in the Armada was miserable and now this... But she still didn't even know what happened. She didn't know if he had walked into a trap or if he had confronted this guy directly, what kind of fight it had been or what had actually happened. "I haven't asked because I didn't want you to have to think about it too much, but... Would you mind telling me what happened?" She asked curiously after a moment, her gaze lingering on his. She could obviously see the after affects of it, but the road that led him here was still murky to her.

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

This was one of the many reasons why Artorias loved Briar. She anticipated how he felt before he even said a word, knew what he needed and how to provide it for him. She understood him in ways no one else yet had shown they could. She knew of his wanderlust and longing to be outside without him saying a thing about it, and she'd brought him out to the gardens to brighten his day a bit. His heart warmed when Briar looped her forelegs around his elbow and brushed her tail over his hip. Even this little physical contact made his belly tighten, yearning for the physical affections two young wolves could show one another. Being bedridden in the infirmary had certainly put a damper on any personal time he could get.

"I still want you to know I appreciate it," he remarked, then settled in to enjoy the warm Auster summer day. It was so hard to believe that only a year ago, the world was caked in ice and snow from north to south. So much had happened in the span of a year. His pack's move to Auster, the endless winter, his fight with the massive dire wolves, his mother's sickness and death, his rise through the ranks to take over the Hallows, his relationship blooming with Briar, the Ashen tournament, their birthdays, his season of training with the Armada... Just thinking about it made him realize how insanely fast time actually moved. "Mmm it is," agreed Artorias with a pensive nod and a snicker when Briar mentioned him crisscrossing the entire continent. "Believe it or not, there are still some places I haven't been to yet. The world being covered in ice tends to prevent a lot of journeying from happening. But if you're up for a little hike every now and then, I'd love to explore them with you too. And I'll still show you those favorite places of mine too."

He heard the soft shift of metal and glanced down at Briar's foreleg with her, watching her shift the bangle he'd given her to and fro, a loving smile touching his lips. It was only a half year, but it already felt like an age ago when he'd given her that simple gift for her first birthday. Briar caught his attention and surprise when she asked if her mother had talked to him about a birthday celebration for her and her littermates. "Uh, no, no she didn't. Was she supposed to?" Briar looked a touch depressed by his answer, then explained how her mother had said she was going to, but how she also hadn't spoken to her mother since then. "Oh. No, I'm sorry, my darling, she never said a thing to me."

Artorias suddenly felt a little guilty, though for what he didn't know. He knew it wasn't his fault that Briar's parents seemed so hands off with her and her siblings, but it still tweaked something inside of him to see that she was so clearly begging for her parents' attention and affection and they were closed off. He thought about his mothers, how even Resin was open and available and loving. It had been her to plan the naming ceremony for them, and both of his mothers had planned their birthday surprises. Briar... she was crying out for attention and nobody seemed to be listening. It broke his heart. He committed himself to doing something extra special for her on their second birthday to make up for what her parents had failed to do.

The next thing out of Briar's mouth took him completely off guard. She wants to know the details of what happened to him. His heart wrenched in his chest and his stomach turned and already he was trying to think of what to say to get out of telling her the sordid details of his defeat. But while his mind raced to think of an excuse that would stop this conversation in its tracks, a revelation hit Artorias: he shouldn't avoid this conversation. He was supposed to love and trust Briar. She was going to be his mate, his queen one day. If he couldn't trust her with every part of his life, good and bad, beautiful and ugly, how could he say he was being open with her? He couldn't. He closed his mouth and swallowed hard, peering away to gaze idly across the courtyard. If she really wanted to know what happened to him, then he would tell her. But he knew that by the end of this, she would no doubt think of him as a lesser wolf. Was he prepared to expose his shame and ruin his image?

"While I was with you in the Armada, Gwyn was attacked by a wolf out in the woods. He didn't hurt her too badly, but he did terrorize her and almost drown her. She's been too afraid to leave the castle ever since." That seemed like as good a place as any to start. "When I returned home, she told me about this wolf. She told me that he had said he was one of my mother Resin's sons, and that he was wearing Resin's skin when he attacked her. The bastard had dug up my mother's grave and skinned her like a gods damned trophy. He told Gwyn that he'd come back for us, so I decided to get ahead of him and kill him first. I managed to track him down to southern Boreas, but when I thought I was catching up, he found me." Artorias paused to take a deep breath, vivid memories of his fight with Oxx playing back in his brain. "His name is Oxx, and he is my adoptive brother from Resin. He's slate gray and white, with dark gray eyes and a mouth full of wicked serrated teeth. If you see him, Briar, you run for help." He could not stress that last bit enough. Knowing that monster was still alive and roaming free somewhere in Boreas terrified him for Briar's sake.

"I challenged him, and I lost. He got the jump on me, and he fought with such ruthlessness that I couldn't recover. He had me down before I even knew what hit me. I struggled as best I could, just to stay alive, but it was all a big joke to him. He was bigger than me, stronger than me... What chance did I even have...?" Artorias' eyes darkened while he stared down at his own blue paws, trying to forget about what happened next. Did he dare to tell Briar the most horrific part of the fight? Did she really need to know that? "He... He said he didn't want to kill me, he wanted to show me how helpless I was against him. So he beat me into submission, bit the back of my neck and held me down..." A blue paw lifted to the scarring wounds on the back of his neck. "...and he... dominated me..." It was the only way Artorias could think to phrase the violation without calling it what it was. Artorias had been raped. He'd been shamed and broken and no matter how much he'd fought and screamed, it still happened. Gods, he could still feel Oxx's heavy body over his, mounting him, degrading him! It made his stomach clench and churn, bile rising in his throat, but he kept it down this time.

"When he was done, he beat me some more, then threw me into the Rio Grande. I fought the river to keep from drowning, but I was slammed into damn near every rock along the way to the sea. I was let out into the ocean and washed up on the Obsidian Beach a ways away, where I nearly froze to death. I'd sent Corbin out to get help before the fight began. He returned with Bowen." He hesitated, wondering if he should be telling Briar this portion of the story. His feelings for Bowen were still fresh, as was the shifting dynamic of their relationship to accommodate these new taboo emotions. He didn't want to upset her any more than he already was. "She saved my life. She kept me warm and breathing until Ulric and Eska arrived to drag my frozen ass back home. I don't remember much after they arrived, I think I was blacking out about then... I woke up a day later in the infirmary with my family around me." He turned his gaze back to Briar's, dreading to see what reactions she'd have on her face when he did. "That was where you found me." What would she make of him now? Would she see the broken knight for what he truly was? A weak and helpless child, like Oxx had said? A boy pretending to be a man? A joke of a warrior and a disgrace of a leader?

"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.
____________________

She grinned happily when he agreed to take her on some hikes with him and show her some of his favorite places as well, her tail wagging and brushing his thigh again. Even if she wasn't quite the explorer and adventurer he was, she still liked seeing the pretty landscapes of Boreas and Auster and ultimately just wanted any excuse to spend some time alone with him. Venturing out into the unpopulated portions of Auster for a couple of days just the two of them sounded like exactly what she wanted and needed. His response to her question about whether or not his mother had talked to him or not wasn't really surprising, but it was disappointing. Her father had promised her that they would do something way back at the end of summer and that had never taken place. Then her mother had done the same thing in the fall when she had heard that nothing had been done for their birthday in her absence and yet that had fallen through as well. It was just more and more broken promises and failed expectations from her parents and she sorely wished that this disappointment wasn't so familiar.

As the conversation was turned away from her and onto the events that had landed Artorias bed ridden in the infirmary, she saw him begin to struggle and debate with himself. Her brows pulled together as she watched him even though he turned his amber gaze away from her, her paws still wrapped around his foreleg while she quietly waited to see if he'd tell her. Just as she was about to reassure him that he didn't have to tell her right now if he really didn't want to he finally began to speak. It started about how she had expected. Bowen had told her how he had gone after a wolf that had attacked their sister, but she hadn't heard the details. Her ears flicked with a frown when Artorias explained what this brute had done to Gwynevere. She had gotten to spend more time with Gwyn just by virtue of staying with Artorias in the infirmary and helping with his recovery and it made her blood boil to know that anyone would do something so awful to someone so gentle and quiet. Her mind flashed to Lia and the man that she had rescued her handmaiden from and her ears flicked at the thought. She was silently grateful that at the very least it sounded like Gwynevere hadn't been attacked physically like that.

When he said how this man had been wearing Resin's skin in Gwyn's tale of what had happened her eyes went wide with shock and horror, her paws gently squeezing his foreleg. Her ears folded back at the thought blinking with realization when she remembered that Resin had been buried here on the castle grounds. He had come here, within their pack lands, and had done this horrible thing to their mother and Briar was just stunned at the horrendous audacity of this man that declared himself Artorias' adopted brother through Resin. He sounded like an absolute nutcase or worse. She understood what drove Artorias to go after this man and he was completely justified in wanting to kill him because of what he had done, but that didn't mean she agreed with how he went about it. Now wasn't the time for her to argue that with him though - for now she remained quiet and simply nodded when he gave her his description and warned her to run for help if she ever happened to cross paths with him.

The description of the fight he had challenged this bastard to was harder to listen to as Artorias detailed how this Oxx character had beaten him with ruthless fighting he hadn't been able to match. The same sort of possessive, protective fear that had gripped her when she had been told that he was injured crept up on her as he talked about the fight and how hard he had struggled even just to stay alive, but when he described how Oxx hadn't wanted to kill him, but instead wanted to show how helpless he was, and described what came next her brows pulled together with confusion. It took a moment for the realization to click in her mind, the memory of the position she had found Lia in with her attacker coming to mind again. That sudden realization crossed her features, her ears folding back against her head again with sympathy in her turquoise gaze. She could see the absolute shame on his face and she gave his foreleg another gentle squeeze, leaning into him lightly as she tried to give her silent comfort while he rounded out the rest of the awful story.

Her jaw tensed with worry as he talked about how he had been beaten more when it was over and then tossed in the Rio Grande, somehow still terrified for him even though he was laying here alive and well enough beside her. Honestly, from this story, she was amazed that he was still alive or at the very least not in worse shape. The fact that he was able to be walking again so soon afterward, that he hadn't broken a bone, that he didn't end up drowning... It was all such a miracle and she was simply grateful to have him here. When he explained how Corbin had been sent for help and had ended up returning with Bowen her ear flicked and a slight frown twitched at her lips. She obviously couldn't control or judge what his raven did or where he had chosen to go, but if he had been on Obsidian Beach she would have been much closer to him than Bowen would have been. Hell, she probably could have made it to where he was by the Rio Grande before it even got that far. Corbin could have come to the Armada to get her and she could have come running with her father and Mortis in tow... but it was too late for that now. It was in the past and she couldn't change the fact that she hadn't been able to help, no matter how much that fact stung.

He continued on about what Bowen had done for him and her own slight jealousy wove its way in among her worry and her overwhelming relief that he was still alive after all of that. Briar was still trying to navigate her way through this new reality that she had allowed and even though it felt about as silly and petty as thinking about her missed birthday celebration she couldn't quite shake the possessive flare of jealousy that snuck up on her as she listened to how Bowen had been there to keep him alive until the others could get there to help get him home. Strangely she felt less jealous at the idea that he had feelings for her and was attracted to her than she was about the fact that Bowen had been able to be here when he needed her. She mentally shook herself, shoving those thoughts away. That had to be in the past. She couldn't keep dwelling on it without risking wrecking this new open relationship she was trying to give him. That was a topic for another time and another place. That wasn't what what she wanted to talk about right now after he gave her every gory detail of the fight that had ended with him battered, bruised, torn apart, and raped.

When he turned his gaze back toward hers she looked at him with a strange mix of relief and worry and love, still holding onto his foreleg as if he might suddenly disappear if she let go. She did end up lifting one paw just so she could cup his cheek and guide his muzzle to hers. She kissed him deeply with every grateful emotion and every ounce of love she could manage. Her eyes slipped closed for a moment as she just savored the feeling of his lips moving passionately against hers, the scent of him, and the feel of his fur under her paw pads. She had already known that his wounds had been severe and saw the condition he had been in when she got here to see him, but hearing the story behind these wounds and knowing how close she had actually been to losing him made her that much more grateful that she could give him this kiss, that she could do things like sneak him out of the infirmary and worry about stupid things like the fact that Bowen had helped him and not her. When her lips eventually broke away from his with a quiet gasp, she blinked open her eyes to find his again and gently brushed the side of his muzzle against his. "I'm so grateful you're here," she said softly, emotion thick on her voice. "I... I can't tell you how happy I am that you're here. There's just... There's just not enough words to say how much."

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

Trying to discern Briar's emotions as he went through the details of his story wasn't difficult. Briar didn't have much of a poker face around him and wore her emotions on her sleeve, each little nuance or shift in her eyes giving away what was running through her mind. Some of it was easier than others: the look of horror when he'd told her about the sexual assault or how he'd nearly drowned in the Rio Grande, or worry when he'd told her to be careful of his murderous "brother". But there were some that were harder to read than others, notably when he brought Bowen into the story. He saw the tense frown on her face and and look of something negative in her turquoise eyes, but he didn't address it. He didn't have the energy for that sort of conversation again right now. Thankfully, Briar didn't seem to want to talk about it either, since she moved past it without a word and instead turned to what she knew best: loving him.

Artorias felt her lips capture his in a deeply grateful kiss, murring quietly beneath his breath while he kissed her back. He leaned happily into the warm comfort her paw on his cheek provided, her soft lips on his bringing him a serenity he'd direly needed in the last week. Artorias shifted his body closer to Briar's, taking in her warmth, the softness of her fur, her scent in his nose, her presence overall. That ache inside of him wanted to press deeper into their kiss, to let loose some of the passion that had been growing inside of him from mounting frustrations of being confined to a small bed in a recovery ward, but his body protested, and even if it didn't he knew Briar would for his own sake. She was always looking out for him when he got too reckless or burned too hot. Her kiss and her love reminded him of what he'd almost lost along with his life in his battle with Oxx. Their future, their plans, all the time they still had, how easy it had almost been ripped away from him. How easy it would have been for him to end up as a corpse at the bottom of the river or washed up on the beach.

When their lips finally parted, Artorias gave a soft gasp and happy sigh, fiery amber eyes meeting cool turquoise filled with love and emotion. He brought his other paw to rest across hers while she clung to his foreleg, bringing his muzzle back to brush along the side of hers in tender affection. "I am too, my Briar..." he spoke softly to her. "You don't have to say anything... You being here says everything you need to." And it truly did. Briar's willingness to drop everything going on in her home and come running to his aid spoke volumes for the love and devotion that she had for him. It was heartwarming and touching and made Artorias realize just how lucky he was to have her in his life as his. Mine. "Your parents aren't going to freak out thinking you ran away to come see me, are they?" He chuckled under his breath, a roguish grin playing on his lips as he thought of Sirius having a conniption when he found his daughter missing. "After the way your dad caught us back in the Armada, I don't want him coming barging into the castle thinking his daughter ran off to get laid." Gods, he could already picture the Warlord pounding down the castle doors roaring for Briar the way he had when he'd caught her back in the winter. "Briar Zee Fatalis, you get back here right this instant!" The large wolf's furious shout still echoed in his head all these months later and still made him snicker.

"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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She never really took any moment with him for granted, but now every moment felt even more previous. They had been far too close to never being able to share these kisses again or whisper these sweet words to each other and now every little thing felt special. Every hardship or challenge they went though made her more and more cognizant of that and cherish him even more. She appreciated that he could understand what she was trying to say even though she wasn't entirely sure how to say it. She always felt that actions spoke louder than words anyway and if it wasn't for the fact that his body and muscles were still recovering from everything he had been put through she probably would have shown him her love in other ways, but she could wait. The anticipation would only make it even more sweet anyway.

When he brought up her parents and the concern that her father might freak out thinking that she ran away to get laid she scoffed and gave a little shake of her head. "No, Willow came looking for me and I asked her to take a message to Lia to tell them that I was here helping take care of you. Now if my father wants to be his usual irrational self and assume things from that he can be my guest, but I'd like for him to try to come pull me away from you right now." She chuckled softly, keeping a light hearted demeanor about it even though in reality her patience with her parents was incredibly thin. More and more she was beginning to think Asla had the right idea about getting out of the Armada. His reaction to catching them, telling her that she wasn't old enough still rubbed her the wrong way. There also had been none of the diplomatic training or visits that her father had promised that day - the only reason she had kept herself civil that day at all.

She sighed and brushed the thought away, giving Artorias a smile as she teasingly tapped her nose against his, giving him a sly grin. "Well... Maybe I didn't come here to get laid, but I'm definitely not leaving until I do," she promised with a giggle, her tail brushing along his hip again and entwining with his. She wouldn't do anything that would make his condition worse, but once he was well for them to enjoy each other without straining him then she was going to take full advantage of that before she forced herself to go back. She was about to tease him more when the irritated voice of Gwynevere called to them from the landing outside the castle doors and she flinched a little bit, giving Art a guilty grin. "Oh no, we've been caught," she said with a chuckle. She untangled herself from him and started helping him to his paws so they could answer his sister's beaconing, but not before she snuck another quick kiss.

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

Artorias couldn't say he was exactly surprised by Briar's lukewarm reaction to his question about her parents. He'd known of Briar's strife with her mother and father and gotten to witness it firsthand on several occasions. His heart went out to his girlfriend. Having known nothing but a supportive and loving family life, he couldn't begin to imagine the struggles she must have faced on a regular basis of feeling like her parents didn't connect with her or didn't care to connect with her. Briar explained how she'd sent her falcon to alert Lia of where she'd gone to, and that things would be handled. He did wonder why she didn't just sent the message to her parents directly, but reasoned she must have had another falling out with them. He nodded, but his lips pulled down into a small frown all the same.

He couldn't help but smirk and chuckle when Briar made a comment on how even if her father came storming down here he wouldn't be able to drag her away from his side. Once more, Briar's devotion to him made his heart skip a bit. The ways she found to show her love and dedication to him never failed to leave him speechless. He didn't deserve Briar; she was far too good for him. His thoughts were interrupted when Briar tapped her nose against his and gave him a sultry grin and eyes that promised only the best things in store. He blinked in surprise, but her lustful promise answered any confusion, and soon he young brute was grinning back at his fae. "Oh is that so?" he remarked, his voice a husky whisper, feeling her tail brush his hip, and eagerly entwining his tail around hers in return. "Well then, I suppose I need to get my body healed ASAP. Can't be denying the future queen of the Hallows what she wants, hmm?"

Artorias leaned in closer to give Briar another slow, heated kiss when the sound of claws skittering across stone broke his attention away from Briar. "Artorias!" the exasperated voice of Gwynevere shouted at him from the terrace at the doors of the castle. Artorias flinched, then peered back to see his sister glaring daggers at him. "Whoops." Art chuckled under his breath, clearly not sorry at all. He grinned like the cat caught with the canary and gave Briar and innocent shrug. "Guess we'd better not tick her off anymore. Well, it was fun while it lasted..." Once Briar had gotten up, Artorias tried to follow suit, wobbling a little as his weakened muscles strained to lift his body weight, but Briar helped him until he was standing again. With his girlfriend's help, Artorias made his way back into the prison of an infirmary, all too happy to steal one more kiss with Briar when she offered it to him. The nagging urge to just pounce her wasn't helped by it, but he didn't care. His body couldn't heal fast enough.

"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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