Briar watched her father trot away in search of Iolaire while she more casually strolled toward the castle with Artorias and as soon as her father was out of earshot she paused long enough to set down the bundle she was carrying and look up at Artorias with a grin. Without a word she leaned up to catch Art's muzzle in a lingering kiss, the feeling of it both incredibly satisfying and equally sparking the fire that only Artorias could. She eventually pulled away with a little chuckle, her tail brushing his thigh while she looked up at him with a lustful gleam in her eye. "Would you please show me around your castle, sir Aegis?" she said with a dramatic sweep of her paw toward the impressive structure in front of them, giggling softly as she played up the theatrics of their "diplomatic visit" to The Hallows. "Perhaps we can find a place that's a bit more private to discuss our packs' affairs?" She gave him a grin and picked up the bundle of jars again, walking toward the castle with him again.

After a quick stop to drop off the soups and herbs in their respective places, they began to make their way up the stairs, no doubt to go up to Artorias' room, but Briar had another idea. She got him another grin, trotting ahead of him with a flick of her tail against his shoulder, before continuing up the smaller flight of stairs toward the tower. She still remembered the first time he brought her up here and how dazzling it had been and when she made her way up through the door to the tower landing it wasn't any less dazzling. The fact that she could see so far out across Auster from here still took her breath away. She made sure the door was closed behind them before she moved toward the platform's edge, looking out over the railing and feeling the breeze buffeting her fur. "I can't wait to live here so I can come up here all the time, Blue Boy," she mentioned, grinning at him over her shoulder.

"Briar Fatalis"

As Sirius got farther and farther away from the couple, Artorias' gait got slower and slower, putting more distance between them until he could be alone with the Warlord's daughter. No sooner was the dire wolf out of sight, Artorias came to a stop and turned to face Briar—only to find her lips already coming up to claim his in a slow kiss. He hummed in delight, kissing her back with that same lingering passion as the simple affection started the roiling of infernos deep within his core. Flame-burnt amber eyes closed, then flickered open again once their lips parted, a wide grin spreading across his face while he gazed into those deep, rich pools of turquoise that stole his breath away. In her eyes he saw the same lustful desire that smoldered in his. After being apart for nearly an entire season and surviving the brunt of the apocalypse away from one another, Artorias wanted to scoop Briar up and never let her go again.

The soft brush of her tail against his thigh coupled with her playful banter of showing her around his castle drew a low, rumbling chuckle from the young alpha. "Of course, Lady Fatalis. It would be my pleasure to give you a thorough tour of my home," he replied as he led Briar through the gardens and up the terrace to welcome her through the threshold with a sweeping wave of his paw. His grin widened, eyes flashing with sly excitement at the thinly veiled promise contained within her suggestion. "I think that sounds like a wonderful use of our time. I'm eager to hear your suggestions for how our packs can become more intimately connected." Still having far too much fun with their theatrics and banter, Artorias led Briar through the castle, first into the kitchen to drop off the stew, then to the pharmacy to leave the herbs. All the while they walked, Artorias would steal not-so-subtle glances to his girlfriend, deliberately brushing his side against hers just to feel her fur mingle with his again. Gods, how he'd missed her...

Once her gifts had been received, Artorias began to lead Briar towards the stairs. He had intended for the two of them to simply slip away quietly to enjoy some privacy to themselves in his newly acquired alpha's chambers, but no sooner had they reached the landing to the second floor, Briar was batting at his shoulder with that elegant plume of a tail and shooting him a salacious look while she headed for the tower stairs. Raising an eyebrow with curiosity, Artorias followed behind his queen with zero hesitation or question. When she gave him that look with bedroom eyes that left little to the imagination, Artorias would have followed her through the depths of hell if she'd asked it. Climbing up the tower stairs behind her brought back the vivid memories of all the times they'd spent up here surveying the land and stargazing on clear nights. Those times seemed so far away, and yet also felt like it had just happened yesterday. How the time had flown in a year.

Artorias climbed to the top of the tower just behind Briar, hearing her close the trapdoor behind them and sliding the latch into place so they wouldn't be disturbed. Fiery eyes followed the supple fae's movements as she went to the parapet and placed her paws upon the stone, gazing out over the sun-drenched Austerian landscape from eastern forest to western sea. "I can't wait for you to live here either, Deer Girl," he replied with a crooked grin to her, striding smoothly up beside her with a gentle nudge of his side against her rump. "The views are infinitely better when you're a part of them." Gazing out over the land with Briar at his side, Artorias slowly brushed his tail along Briar's hip and gently entwined it with hers, obsidian and azure fur blending with tawny brown and turquoise. "Very soon you'll be able to come up here whenever you want. These views can be yours forever." He chuckled, teasing her, but his eyes shone with a love and truth that spoke for the sincerity in his words.

"Artorias Carpathius"

Briar smirked at his long time nickname for her, looking at him with love and amusement as he came over to join her before turning her gaze back out over the lands that she'd call home very soon. She had lived in Boreas and the Armada since the day she was born, but she had spent quite a bit of time here as well over the first almost two years of her life. This place felt even more like home than the Armada did sometimes, but she knew that was in large part to Artorias. Everywhere he was felt like home and when they were together she felt more complete and like true self. She was looking forward to being able to enjoy this view all the time, but even more than that she was looking forward to being with Artorias and never having to experience that awful longing to be with him again. She snickered at him saying that the views were better with her in it and she gave him a little grin, but she couldn't agree more. All of her views were better when he was there as well.

She stood with him with their tails entwined, smiling as he talked about how soon these views could be hers forever, leaning into his side as she savored being with him again. She knew the visit that she was on with her father would go by far too quickly, but there wasn't much longer before the wait would be over once and for all. "I'll be looking forward to that all the way to the day that I finally move here," she told him as she nuzzled into his neck. Briar tipped her muzzle up a bit to be able to leave a trail of little kisses and nibbles along his jaw, her tail slipping away from his just so she could brush along the back of his thigh and teasingly across some more sensitive areas with a grin pulling at her lips. "There's some other things I'm looking forward to much more than the view," she purred, chuckling softly as her kisses started to move down along his neck, her teeth pulling through his thick fur with teasing nibbles along the curve of his throat.

Bringing her muzzle back up to his, she caught his lips in another kiss, turquoise eyes flickering closed as she sank deeply into the affection. Everything with him was like throwing fuel on a fire. Even the lightest brush or kiss was enough to spark the fire of desire in her with Artorias and now she let herself get lost in a deep, passionate kiss with him. All of the pent up desire and longing for him poured into that kiss and her tail set to work teasing other parts of him while they both built quickly in desire and need. She didn't know how long it was before she finally broke their kiss with a soft gasp while her lungs were aching for air, blinking open her eyes to grin up at him with a lustful, needy look in her eyes. "Want to give me a taste of what else is going to be mine forever, sexy?"

"Briar Fatalis"

The loving smile on Artorias' face stretched wider while he hummed in agreement to Briar's statement of looking forward to the day she moved to the Hallows. "Me too, Briar." He leaned himself into her nuzzle, happily accepting all of her signs of affection as she freely gave them. It was so easy for him to fall back into his rhythms with Briar, as if they had never been apart. Having her with him, in his life, a part of his world, it all just felt so natural and further convinced the young wolf that they had always been meant to be together. Briar's little kisses and nibbles slowly pulled his thoughts away from his romantic ideals and into far more salacious territory however. Amber eyes drifted closed and low murrs of delight rumbled in the dire brute's chest while she kissed and nibbled along his neck, leaving pleasant little tingles wherever her lips and teeth delicately touched his skin. It felt lovely, and Artorias was gradually melting for her more and more.

That is, until he felt the silky swish of Briar's tail pass over his thighs, and then between them to find some less than soft parts of him. A gasp came as a sharp inhale of air from the sudden touch, Artorias' body tensing as if he'd just been zapped by electricity. Those golden eyes flicked open just in time to catch her leaning into him again from his peripheral vision, her seductive purr making his pulse quicken in his veins while warm lips began trailing kisses down his throat. The Aegis' breath hitched, catching in the throat her lips were kissing down and gentle fangs grooming through fur to graze the skin on his neck. Tingles of electricity raced across his nerve endings, sending small tremors of delight throughout his entire body from ears to tail, which was now lazily wagging behind him.

Artorias didn't resist, offering the most vulnerable part of himself to her, so great was his trust and love in her. Briar rewarded him by bringing her muzzle up to once again catch his mouth with her own, kissing him with a deep passion and desire. The Carpathian brute responded in kind, eyes vanishing behind obsidian lids as a soft sigh escaped him. He kissed Briar back as deeply and lovingly, letting the fire that burned eternally within his body and soul for her consume him in an unstoppable inferno of lust and love. Once more, Briar's tail began its bewitching teasing of his most sensitive parts, making the young brute quiver with need while he gently parted her lips with his own to slip his tongue into her maw, tasting the familiar flavor of Briar with a muffled groan. Time seemed to stop for them—or perhaps it was going faster now that it meant nothing since he had her with him. It might not have been for forever just yet, but that wasn't going to stop Artorias from loving her as if it was.

When their mouths did finally part, Artorias gasped for breath as well, only now realizing that his lungs had been aching for air, just as the intimate parts of him had begun aching from the teasing stimulation she'd been providing him throughout their kissing. Fire-toned eyes opened to see the most beautiful pair of turquoise eyes in the universe gazing at him with a needy, lustful look that said all that needed to be said. A grin matching hers split Artorias' face from ear to ear, and he pushed his snout against hers in a nuzzle when she asked him to give her a taste of what was going to be hers forever. "It would be my pleasure, beautiful," he replied in rumbling baritone lyrics. Keeping his muzzle lost in Briar's fur, Artorias began the slow drag of his snout down Briar's body, starting at her neck and working his way leisurely down her slender, supple body. He followed every subtle and obvious curve to her feminine shape, pausing only long enough to nibble at her skin as he went until he reached where her tail met her body and he found exactly what he'd been seeking, letting his tongue slip out to sweep across Briar's lowest reaches a couple of times just for fun and to tease her a little more.

With a sly gleam in his eyes and a Cheshire Cat grin on his lips, Artorias shot Briar a smoldering look while he mounted her, careful not to cause any discomfort while he shifted his weight atop of her so they were both comfortable and to make sure he wasn't getting poked in the face by her antlers. He hooked strong forelegs around her hips and leaned his muzzle down to brush his cheek against the side of hers from behind, a roguish smirk playing on his lips while he lifted his muzzle to nip and tease her ear. "I love you, Briar," he spoke in his rough, husky whisper. Then he pressed his hips to hers and sank into her, making their bodies as one once more. The gasp that slipped from Artorias' lips was primal and euphoric while they built a smooth rhythm of practiced, needy motions of their bodies, bathed in the sunlight that had been absent from the world for too long and surrounded by the breathtaking views of Auster that she loved.

"Artorias Carpathius"

As soon as Artorias agreed to her request and started working his way down her body she looked back out over the world in front of them with heavy lidded eyes, her eye lids occasionally flickering closed for a breath while she savored the feeling of his muzzle trailing through her fur. He made all of her nerves spark with electricity and even the simplest touch felt wonderful. Each little nibble he left in his wake made the need and desire building in her core grow even hotter until he reached her tail and made her gasp with intimate kisses that pulled a grin across her face and made her chuckle breathlessly, glancing back at him with a lustful glance and a smirk. He was always such a tease, but she adored every moment of it and she wouldn't want him to be any other way.

He mounted her and she was reminded of the surprising growth spurt he had gone through over the last season. They settled into each other after a brief moment of adjustment, feeling his weight on her back and his forelegs around her hips. There was something that felt so powerful about being up here, looking out over the whole continent of Auster with her future mate and king on top of her, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that soon enough she would be here as his queen. Even though she knew The Hallows claimed only the castle and the plains that bordered it, it made her feel like the whole world was theirs. She leaned into his touch as he leaned over her and nuzzled her cheek, her breath catching as he lifted his muzzle again to nip at her ear.

"I love you too-" she began, but her words were cut off before she could finish as he pressed his hips to hers and joined them together, making her toes curl and claws scratch against the stone under them. Her words were replaced with a blissful groan and her eyes fluttered closed as she immediately got lost in the love, lust, and pleasure that Artorias flooded her with so masterfully. She had to bite her lip to keep from crying out her reactions to all of Auster. As tempting as it was to do so, she knew her father was somewhere in the territory and she didn't feel like risking him hearing them up here even though he fully knew how far their relationship had gone already. It would be an awkward walk back to Boreas if he heard so Briar did her best to muffle her moans and cries while the pleasure steadily built, looking out over this beautiful land with heavy lidded eyes.

"Briar Fatalis"

The sound of Briar's breathy declaration of her love being cut short when their bodies joined together sent an absolute thrill of delight up Artorias' spine. He loved the reactions he could pull from her. Each heavy breath, each sigh and gasp, those groans whenever her body would tremble, and the way her eyelids fluttered... Gods, did he love her with everything he was! And he proved it by giving her everything that he had. Artorias worked Briar over in all the ways he knew she loved. Large paws roamed the curves of her body, savoring every single inch of her he could touch. She'd grown into such a beautiful, remarkable young fae and the blue-furred brute considered himself the luckiest wolf alive to be able to call her his. They'd known each other since they were pups, watched one another grow up, stood together against every hardship life threw at them, and now bathed in afternoon sunlight atop the tower of their castle home, Artorias knew they were always meant to be together.

Another blissful groan from Briar brought Artorias' focus back to her, watching turquoise eyes disappear behind tawny lids. He grinned widely, a sense of smug self-satisfaction swelling at being able to make her make those sounds. She was addictive to him, and as their bodies moved in unison, hips meeting hips in steady rhythm, Artorias basked in the love, lust, and pleasure she brought to him. He saw her bite her lip to stifle her sounds, making the dire brute chuckle between heavy breaths. As fun as it would have been to try and make Briar lose control, he knew why she was trying to hold back. Unfortunately for her, Artorias was feeling devious, and he wanted to see if he could push her past her limits.

Maintaining their movements, Artorias groaned and growled his lust to his lover, claws gripping at her slender sides. He once again caught her ear between his teeth, carefully teasing the delicate appendage until he released it and rolled his tongue in a slow lick just behind her ear. With his larger size, Artorias was able to lean himself completely across Briar, surrounding her with his body while he had his way with her. Hind claws scratched at the stone floor trying to keep his stability, his forelegs moving up her sides to loop around her shoulders, grabbing Briar from the front to fully wrap her up in his embrace. He held her tightly to him, lips pulling back from sharp fangs in a lustful snarl. His snout moved down from her ear to bury in her scruff, drinking in her sweet scent and intoxicating his senses with all of her. Amber eyes rolled back in his head, and then Artorias kicked their coupling up a notch when he parted his jaws and grabbed Briar's scruff carefully between strong jaws. He held her tightly, possessively, not letting her go or move other than the rocking of their bodies while they both stared out over the lands they would rule together as king and queen. He huffed and groaned and growled from around her scruff, loving on her as thoroughly as he could as the pleasure between them built.

"Artorias Carpathius"