She was drowning in this room. The arrival had been overwhelming, and sweet. The castle was so big, she knew she was going to be lost in it for some time. There had been faces she had tried to memorise, though she knew the first day would be hopeless for it. Her Mistress had picked out her room - she plasted on a smile and pretended to be gracious at their hospitality. She had never had a room to herself before. Slave pens, her Mistress’s room. Here, she was so far from her Mistress she wasn’t even on the same floor. She realised then that she had begun to cling to Briar as a safety net. Ever since that day her Mistress had chased off her attacker. Had made true on the promises Art had spoken of. She had acted, and Lia loved her for it. She didn’t just obey her, she loved her. Now that safety net was taken away from her, and her paradise became deep shadows and isolation.

She had pulled her bedding onto the floor, finding the strange sleeping contraption lifted above the floor too soft and strange. Too much ‘new’ for her to handle. She could hear the wind whistling through the chimney of the fireplace as she huddled sleeplessly on the floor. She didn’t know how long she lay there on the stone, listening to the wind, and watching the shadows. The scents around her foreign and strange. Occasionally, she heard the sound of footsteps as a wolf moved around on the floor beyond. Her past life had beaten the spirit out of her, and Briar and Art had tried to rebuild it. Now, she was stuck somewhere in the middle. Not listless and cold inside enough for the changes to mean nothing. Not secure in herself to trust these changes, either.

Finally, she got to her paws, slinking quietly to the door. At least she was close to the stairs. On quiet paws she padded down to the second floor. Catching a hint of Briar and Art’s scent here. She cast a longing glance in the direction they had vanished into when night had fallen, before making herself continue on again. Down to the ground floor, and then out into the garden.s the cool night air rifling through her coat, sending strange scents her way. She huddled in the grass, watching the stars, and wondered what she was becoming.


"Speech"

As had been his routine since the pirate attack on his home, Artorias conducted a late night patrol around the castle grounds before turning in to bed. With all of the excitement around Briar and Lia moving into the Hallows at long last, he knew his beloved had been exhausted by the end of her days, and he'd seen her off to bed before he started his final patrol of the night. Walking through the quiet stillness of the evening, Artorias paced over the high castle walls, fiery amber eyes scanning the surrounding woods through the darkness for any signs of threats. Despite his heightened security, he still refused to close the gates of the Hallows at night. What if somebody came in the wee hours looking for aid or shelter? No, the Hallows would remain open, just as his mother had intended it to be.

Satisfied with the silence in the night, Artorias began to descend the stairs from the walls down to the courtyard and gardens below, content knowing that Serenity would keep an eye out through the night. The weather was thankfully clear, though the air was noticeably cooler in the Austerian winter with a hint of moisture in the air. The grass was dewy and damp beneath his paws when he walked through the gardens and the nighttime sky above was partly cloudy with a few patches of clear sky poking through to show the shining stars above. All in all, while it wasn't awful, it wasn't exactly his ideal weather to be outside in. Which is why it came as such a surprise to the young alpha when he saw a familiar flame-hued coat amongst the gardens.

"Lia," Artorias greeted her with surprise in his voice and on his face. The Aegis padded closer, settling himself in to sit beside her on the cool grass. He was quiet for a moment while he simply settled into her company, following her fire-kissed gaze up to the nighttime sky overhead. "Couldn't sleep?" He raised a curious brow in her direction, giving her all the invitation to speak her mind as she felt comfortable doing.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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 didn’t expect another soul to encounter her in the wee hours of the morning. She heard the sound of his steps, and turned her gaze towards him. Artorias, the Aegis of the Hallows. It surprised her to find him out this late. Perhaps she wasn’t the only one surprised, hearing it in his voice as well as he greeted her. “My Aegis” she responded quietly as he settled in beside her.

She did not want him to think for a moment that she was ungrateful for the hospitality he had shown her. She knew he intended the room as a kindness, as a start in her life here. She just hadn’t expected it - all of it - to affect her so. Moving to the Armada had not done so, but at that point she would have done anything that was requested of her without a second thought. She still would do so, they were her Masters. But there was a will inside of her that had not been there before. It was like she was waking up after a long dream.

She shook her head at his question. “I’ve changed.” She explained, not sure if he would understand. “It started with the attack, but it’s growing. I’m not sure who I am anymore.”

"Speech"

Lia looked as surprised to see him and he was to see her. Clearly she did not expect anyone else to be up this late. Artorias was almost amused by the shared shock of the two night owls. She greeted him by his title, something he was working on getting better at accepting. When he'd first taken over the Hallows, having wolves address him as "Alpha" or "Aegis" had felt odd, like a shroud he didn't deserve to be wearing. As time went on and he became more comfortable in the role, he began to accept things as they were. Wolves weren't treating him as if he was better than anyone—they were showing him respect. It had taken him far longer than he cared to admit to get that through his thick skull and get comfortable with the titles.

She denied his assumption that she couldn't sleep and that got his intrigue piqued even more. Lia began to explain what was going on in her head. How she felt like she'd changed and how she felt uncertain with who she was. Artorias gave a rumble in response and blinked his eyes in bewilderment. "Those are some heavy thoughts. I probably wouldn't be sleeping either." Art chuckled under his breath, then let out a heavy sigh. "Wanna talk me through what you're thinking? What you're feeling? I dunno if I can be much help, but I can listen."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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 shuffled in the grass as he spoke, showing that same steady kindness to her that he had from the start. She still wasn’t comfortable talking about the attack. It shouldn’t have been any different then what she had endured before. If what her previous masters had put her through was or wasn’t rape, then this attack should have been the same. But she had been safe, suddenly, and finally. And then she wasn’t. Now, that attack lingered in her heart, and she couldn’t help but think of it as the cornerstone of her change. At least, when she first began to notice it.

“It’s like… waking up, for the first time in a long time. Before, I didn’t have to think, or be. I just… did ” she said, wondering if she was saying too much. She did not want to worry her Aegis, who she had come to care so much for. “Now I’m forced to face the questions ‘am I comfortable with this, do I want to do this? Is this okay?” she shook her head, she didn’t know if she preferred the fog. She shouldn’t, but life had been simpler. “I guess I thought I would go from confused sort-of-slave, to knowing exactly who I was here. The Hallows was supposed to hold all the answers, immediately.” she gave him a wry, shy smile. Ducking her head. She didn’t know why she was saying so much, but it was all coming out now. “But the room is too big, with too many shadows. I’m forced to realise I’m not used to sleeping alone. I feel…. Jumpy. I don’t want to go back into that big empty room. Not yet. Is it okay if I stay out here for a little while, My Aegis?” she asked softly.

"Speech"

All the while Lia voiced her worries, her fears, her doubts and uncertainties, Artorias remained quiet, taking in the autumnal fae's words with keen interest and an empathetic heart. He could never truly understand the struggles Lia faced coming from a life of indentured servitude, but he could relate to the idea of feeling alone or out of place. The more she spoke, the more Artorias' concern for her grew, but he wouldn't have wished her to hold any of this back from him. He needed to know how she felt so he could figure out how to help her, how to care for her the way an alpha was meant to care for his wolves. Finally, she ended by asking if she could stay outside for a bit longer, her shy eyes avoiding meeting his.

Wordlessly, Artorias would go to dip his head and nuzzle behind Lia's ear, just a gentle bit of affection to show he heard her concerns and cared for them. "You don't need my permission to do what makes you comfortable, Lia. Like you said, you don't want to go back inside, so you don't have to," he replied in his husky, velvety baritone. The concept of freedom of choice and will might have been foreign to Lia, but she was already subconsciously recognizing what she did and didn't want. She just lacked the self confidence to assert her desires. "I wish I could give you a magic cure for all these things you're feeling. I wish I could tell you some easy fix that the Hallows has to make all your problems go away. Sadly, as good as we are at healing, some ailments just take time."

Artorias turned gentle flame-hued eyes back to Lia, raising a careful azure paw to cup Lia's chin and slowly tilt her head up to look at him, gazing into those gentle amber-brown eyes with a half smile. He wanted to show her that there was no longer any fear when looking another wolf in the eyes, no recompense or punishment for doing so. It would help strengthen the bonds she formed with wolves in her new life. So long as he had a say, Lia would never be forced to hide herself away again. "You're going through a tremendous life change right now, Idalia." Artorias used her full name, speaking it in low tones, hoping to convey just how important this matter was to him. "Your whole life is shifting into something new. I'd be more surprised if you didn't feel a bit lost or confused. All your life you've been expected to be someone or something. It's easy to be a role and not an individual. Now you're having to discover who Idalia is for the first time. It's a lot, and it's scary having to find yourself and your place in the world. But I hope you know that I'm here to help you through this, no matter what. We'll take every step together if it would help." There would be some parts of her self-discovery that Lia would need to make on her own, but Artorias would gladly help guide her on her path wherever he could.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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 glanced up when she heard him move, and offered a smile as he came closer. She closed her eyes, leaning into his gentle affection. Finding it new and sweet, a balm against the turmoil inside of her. Once again he gently pointed out that she didn’t need permission to do what made her comfortable. Even here, where he ruled as leader of the entirety of the pack.

She gave a rueful smile when he mentioned healing. A part of her had considered the Hallows to be perfect, but it was just a place. A beautiful place, that a lot of love and work had clearly gone into. With wolves powerful of heart, like Artorias and Briar. But it was a place, and arriving here didn’t magically give her all the answers. Maybe it would be better if he gave her barriers. Rules and regulations to give her a clear guidance in life as a slave, a thing. But that wasn’t Artorias’s way. It never had been, and here she was given what had been taken away from her so long ago. The question was, did she still want that? She leaned gently against the paw that cupped her chin, not quite meeting his eyes. “I hope you’ll forgive any mistakes I make along the way, my Aegis” she whispered softly. Everything here was new ground for her, the rules vastly different. “I am grateful for you, for you and Briar both.” she promised. In case that wasn’t clear in her confusion. She cleared her throat, and smiled at the other wolf. “What brought you out here so late?” Something had taken him from his bed as well.

"Speech"

Artorias could see the struggle in Lia. The conflict she grappled with, the overwhelming impossibility of freedom. IT was what he imagined any domesticated animal would feel if it was returned to total autonomy. She was used to a life structured by rigid commands and unbending rules. To have all of that stripped away, even if for all the right reasons, must have felt like a total rebirth and relearning of everything she'd ever known. He could sympathize, but he would not retract his offer of her freedom. Lia would still be a handmaiden in service to him and Briar, but slavemasters they were not nor would they ever be. But... would he still feel the same if being a bit more structured with Lia meant making her more comfortable? If she asked him now to impose rules, guidelines, and restrictions for her, would he deny her on moral principle or would he bend to keep her content?

Lia pointedly avoided making eye contact with him when he turned her face towards him, making the Aegis' lips twitch into a little frown. He released her chin, allowing her to look away again if she wished it, and sighed when she preemptively sought his forgiveness for mistakes she hadn't made. "Doamne ajuta-ma... There is nothing to forgive, Lia. We all make mistakes, and that's okay. We learn and grow. That's life. I'm not going to punish you for making mistakes. I know you'll do your best, and that's all I could ever ask of you." Artorias turned his fiery gaze away again to look out over the dewy gardens and courtyard again, listening to some nocturnal insects around them. "We're grateful to have you in our lives too. Truly, we are."

There was a beat of silence between them before Lia asked him why he was awake as well. That was far easier for the Aegis to answer than her lingering doubts had been. "I always take a walk of the Hallows before turning in for the night. I like to make sure everyone is accounted for, safe at home. After the raid, I also do a patrol on the walls with Serenity just to make sure we're secure. Fortunately, all's quiet tonight." The pirates' attack had shown him that danger often came for them when they least expected it. The saber cats in the middle of the frigid night during the extended winter and now the invaders in the dead of night. The Hallows couldn't let its guard down for a second.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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 blinked as the exotic, unfamiliar words rolled gently off his tongue. It was enough of a surprise that her eyes snapped back to his face. Seeing the indecision and worry there. she caused that, she knew. She left him worrying about her. It was one of those many things that marked him as something entirely different from everything she had known before them. Even now, after living in the Armada for a while, and now here. Even now, it still took her breath away. How did anyone have the capacity to care so much? And about so many. She knew he would fight to the death for any members of his pack. To him, strength didn’t mean power, it meant protecting those beneath him.

She shivered, that feeling of safety settling over her, even as she felt regret for making him worry. A little timidly, in the quiet of the midnight garden, she took a liberty she might not have dared to in the light of day. She reached gently up with a paw, and touched his cheek. “I’m thankful for everything you’ve done for me. Truly” she promised.

She nodded her head slowly as he spoke of the raid, and his patrols. He was concerned for them all. She wondered how often that kept him up, tossing and turning with worry for each and every one of his members. “Would you like me to rub your shoulders, Artorias?” she asked “Help you relax?”


"Speech"

Unfortunately, Artorias had been looking away when he'd spoken in the Carpathian tongue, so he missed seeing Lia's shocked reaction to hearing it. It hadn't even crossed his mind that she hadn't heard it before now, since it was only something he'd acquired from lessons with Iolaire after he'd returned home and donned the mantle of Aegis. He did, however, notice her dainty paw coming up to rest on his azure cheek, just below one of his ash gray stripes on his muzzle. Amber eyes blinked a few times while he turned to look at Lia again with soft warmth in his gaze. "I know you are, Lia. You show that to me every day in your actions and your behaviors. It doesn't go unnoticed," he reassured her. "I hope that in time I can help make the Hallows feel less daunting for you, and more like a home."

Lia offered to rub his shoulders then to help him relax as he explained what had kept him up at night. At first, Artorias felt his stomach clench with nervousness. He recalled what Lia had said to him in her drunken haze back in the Armada, her offer to service him whenever he wanted, concerned she might be falling back into her old habits. But the look on her face that told him she needed to comfort him to feel like she was doing a good job helped assuage some of that fear. "I think that sounds lovely. I'd like that a lot, thank you, Lia." Shifting a bit to lay out his massive body on the grass, Artorias stretched his forelegs out and rested his head down on them, lying flat to allow Lia easier access to get over him and do whatever work she needed to do. His right shoulder in particular had an ache from favoring that leg after being stabbed. Though he was healing well now, it still felt like he was carrying some strain from his weeks of limping.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

“This is the only home I want” she admitted, her soft voice holding nothing but certainty. It might be strange and overwhelming, and not exactly as she pictured it. But this castle was the only place in the world she wanted to be. Armada had only ever felt like a halfway house, a stepping stone to her journey here. Just seeing Art and Briars joy in their arrival, and getting to share in a little bit of that. It was all she wanted.

As for the drunken night in the Armada, Lia remembered only stitching up Art's wounds, sharing a drink, and zonking out shortly after. Not that she’d made her first pass on him since his awkwardness the day he had purchased her. She waited as he placed himself on the soft grass before her, and then she leaned over him, and began to rub his shoulders. Her delicate paws looked for any signs of tightness in his muscles, and found more than she expected. She frowned as she dug her paws into each spot. Taking her time to carefully work out the kinks. She could almost ignore how soft his beautiful coat was, or how she had missed the woody cedar of his scent, with the tangy of salt from his life by the ocean. “Have you been stressed a lot, recently?’ she found herself wondering.


"Speech"

Despite her concerns and uncertainties, Artorias was happy to hear Lia speak with conviction that this was the only home she wanted. He hoped that remained true, and he would do whatever it took to ensure it stayed that way—not just for her, but for all his wolves. They trusted him, relied on him, believed in his leadership; he would not let them down. No sooner had he gotten settled down, Artorias heard Lia shift and then felt her as she leaned down over him. Those petite paws that always seemed so delicate pressed into his shoulders with force and precision that always surprised him, but never disappointed. Each press into a knot of tension or sore spot in his muscles drew a low groan of delight and pain from Artorias, but it was most certainly not an unwelcome feel. It felt like relief and soothing. Even he hadn't realized the stress he carried with his title.

Unwittingly, Artorias let his eyelids close, so totally relaxed he was while Lia worked over his muscles. From shoulder to back she moved with practiced pressure, making his toes flex and curl in the soft grass. Although he despised the life she'd been forced to live in slavery, he could not deny that it had left her with some very handy skills, skills he was currently thoroughly enjoying. Low rumbling murrs of delight echoed in his chest, pausing only when he heard her question. "I didn't think I was, but I guess my body says differently," he answered with a husky chuckle. "I suppose between leadership and responsibility of the Hallows, the raid we dealt with, and now handling this prisoner, I've had a lot on my mind..."


"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

Her paws were gentle across his coat - except for where they needed to be firm. She took her time. Slow, patient, and attentive as she made her way up his spine, across his shoulders. Around his neck, and behind his crown, and then back down again. Ensuring she missed nothing in her thorough search. Each soft groan or sound of delight sent a small zing through the smaller wolf. Responding to him in ways she hadn’t expected to.

His husky words were an explanation, and she nodded her head in soft understanding. Her paws pausing for a moment, lingering just behind his ears as she looked at him. Her smile was gentle, and a touch bashful as she considered him.he had reacted rather strongly the last time she had asked this, and she doubted his opinion on the matter had changed. But, she decided to put it out there anyway. “There are other ways to destress, if you're interested.”

"Speech"

Obsidian lids fluttered over flame-kissed eyes while Lia expertly pulled soft grunts and groans from the young alpha, who had been carrying more stress with him than he'd realized. He'd known of Lia's talents when it came to massages—he'd experienced them firsthand before—but it had been some time since he'd been subject to to the handmaid's skillful paws. She worked him over like a pro, seeking out every sore spot or knot of tension like she had a map to his body. Gentle tremors ran through his body while she massaged him, putting him in a state of such bliss and relaxation with her wonderfully pleasant motions that felt so good and hurt in all the best ways. His head rolled as she manipulated his neck and forehead, a lazy, almost dopey smile of delight on his face.

He barely noticed Lia's paws hesitating around his ears, he was lost in such a stupor of pleasure. Even his breathing had deepened while she worked him like putty in her capable paws. Lia's sweet voice spoke then, catching Artorias' attention and bringing blazing amber eyes to open to the world once more. He craned his neck back a touch to try and gaze up at her the best he could. She offered him other ways to destress, and no longer the innocent or naive yearling he had been when he'd first met her, he assumed he already knew what she was referring to. Bushy black, blue, and ash tail flicked behind him a couple of times while he peered up at her, gauging her expression and trying to get a read on her. This was the third time now Lia had offered her form of physical relief to him, and part of Artorias started to wonder just how much of this was a sex slave still caught in her own past or how much was Lia's own secret desires?

"Lia..." Artorias began, voice soft, yet deep and rumbling, distinctly masculine and mature, no longer holding any of those youthful pitches he'd still had as an adolescent when they'd met. "You know you don't have to offer yourself like that anymore. I would never use you like a tool to relieve my stresses." Gazing backwards and up at her, seeing her inverted in his gaze, Artorias had to try and resist losing himself in those rich eyes that looked akin to smoldering embers of a fire. Lia was truly a beautiful woman, and were he anyone different, he would have taken her up on her offer in a heartbeat. But would he really have been as unscrupulous as her previous owners if he accepted what she was offering willingly instead of forcing her? Ah, but how did he know she was making these offers willingly and not as an expectation she still had for herself? Lia was a bit of a conundrum in that way to him.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

Ahhh, Artorias. He had changed since that day they had first met. In so many ways innocent and youthful. There was an experience about him now. He had grown quickly into the role of Alpha. The largest part of him that remained unchanged, however, was his moral compass on right and wrong. His belief on her rights had not changed. He was relaxed and comfortable on the soft grasses of his pack. Here, he was supreme leader, and she was utterly within his power. There was admiration in his eyes when they looked at her, she was sure of it. Well familiar with the appreciative gaze of a male. But even here and now, he would not, could not, take advantage of his beautiful slave. He was a world apart from those that had trained her. Shockingly, strictly different. She loved him for it.

She reached a paw forward, slowly, giving him plenty of room to pull away. If he didn’t, she would place it against his soft cheek. Liking the feel of it beneath her paw. It was not the first time she had done so, and she smiled at the large leader. The protector. “I’ve taken your words to heart, Artorias. I will not offer myself to any wolf I did not wish to be with.” Her words and gestures were simple, and soft. Giving him all the room in the world to walk away

"Speech"

Artorias did not shy away from Lia's touch, did not rebuke her or spurn her. When the autumnal wolf reached a petite paw towards him, he simply waited until he felt the soft warmth of delicate paw pads on his cheek before turning his head to lean into her touch. All the while his eyes never left hers, watching the smile grow across her muzzle—the smile that should have been there since the day she was born. Were it not for her envious bitch of a mother, perhaps it would have been and Artorias wouldn't have to help her regain her self esteem and confidence. Ah, but then he never would have met her. Perhaps this tragic tale could have a silver lining and happy ending to it after all.

Lia explained that she had, in fact, taken his words to heart. Then she reaffirmed that she would not offer herself to anyone she didn't want to be with. It took a moment for Artorias' brain to connect all the dots in her enigmatic words, but once he had, a stunned recognition lit up in his eyes. Artorias felt a new sort of conflict inside of him. He understood what Lia was suggesting, what she was hinting at. His mouth fell open a tiny bit in awe, still scanning her face for any sort of reluctance or signs of duress, only to find none. It would have been a lie to claim that he didn't think Lia was a beautiful wolf—any living creature with eyes could see that—and it would have been a greater lie to claim he hadn't had romantic or sultry thoughts about the former slave girl. His brain rewound back to the conversation he'd had with Briar, when he'd admitted these things to her, and what she'd told him.

"Lia..." Artorias' words drifted off with just her name on his tongue, desperately trying to think of something to say and coming up empty. He was thoroughly tongue-tied by the fireborne fae. The Aegis who always seemed to have the right words to say had been rendered speechless. "This is truly what you want? You really want... me?" He asked the question as if in disbelief, waiting to wake from another delightful dream of her at any moment and find himself back in his bed. Still sprawled out on his belly with her over him, Artorias stared up at Lia, unable to tear his gaze away from her while she kept him in place as her paw caressed his cheek.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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 felt a gentle weight on her paw as he leaned into her touch. His eyes held hers, and she couldn’t help but feel he was looking for any hesitation. Any hint that this was an obligation she felt. He would find none there, as her smouldering gaze held his. Wondering herself where she found the boldness. But she knew that she wanted nothing more than to be a part of Briar and Artorias’s world. The heat that pooled inside of her as she felt his intense golden gaze upon her was like nothing she had felt before. The feel of his fur beneath her paw lit a fire inside of her. She knew exactly what she wanted. Artorias, who had been schooling her in seeking her own desires would find it leading right back to him.

“Yes.” She said with emphasis. “I’ve wanted to know for a while now what you would feel like, Artorias Carpathius.”

"Speech"

Artorias was still recovering from the surprise of learning that Lia desired him in ways that she had only been used for before. He had given her total freedom to celibacy if she wished to leave that life behind her for good in the wake of all her trauma, but instead Lia had rekindled actual legitimate desire for him. The young alpha's heart beat faster in his chest, each strong thump pumping liquid fire through his veins. His gaze held hers all the while she spoke and caressed his cheek with the tender affections of a lover. He saw the lust smoldering in those embers set into her lovely face, a wild and urgent need encapsulated in delicate grace and youthful beauty. She spoke so emphatically and assured of her own wants that she wanted to know what he would feel like within her that it made Artorias' belly clench with that familiar need to satisfy that he felt when he was with Briar or Bowen. Did Lia have any idea the feelings he'd harbored for her for seasons now?

A little bit of a cheek grin twitched on the corners of Artorias' lips while he lost himself in her eyes, ignoring all the stellar beauty of the nighttime sky behind her in favor of those eyes—the same eyes that had bewitched him almost a year ago in that lonely cave in the north. "How would you have me, Lia?" He was teasing her a bit, playing into their wanton banter while also gauging what she'd thought of him in those lustful moments to herself. "What did you imagine while you were wondering what I would feel like?" What had Idalia fantasized about, he wondered, and would he be able to bring any of them to life? Then, once she'd answered, Artorias' grin spread a little wider, showing off a few more of his strengthened teeth while the fires in his eyes danced wildly. "I think... I'd like to hear about some of those other ways to destress, my Lia."

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

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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The grey wolf outside the Armada borders may have thrown her head into a twist, but Adalia was not normally a wolf shy on the subject of sex. Having abstained from all things sexual since she had been purchased by Artorias (Other then the one instance) and left her wanting. She eyed Artorias with no small measure of desire. Now that he was a man, and not a boy scrambling away in astonishment and surprise at her advances. She had let him be, and buried down the feelings she had felt for the man that had changed her life.

A fire lit her burning eyes as she held his amber gaze, and listened to his question. She leaned closer to him, taking his words as permission as she planted a kiss against the side of his muzzle. Giving plenty of room for the Hallows Aegis to pull away from her. Bringing her mouth closer to his ears, she whispered her reply. “I would have you slowly, my Lord Aegis. I would take my time in tasting you, teasing you.” she kissed the base of his ear, tickling it with her whiskers. “I imagined how long you would let me tease you, Artorias. At what point my name would grace your lips.” she grabbed his ear lightly in her fangs, biting down softly.

She laughed at his invitation, hot excitement in the sound. She hadn’t thought this day would ever come. “Lie down then, Artorias” she said, pulling back to let her eyes graze his. “And I’ll show you”

"Speech"

Artorias hadn't been sure how Lia might respond to his questions, given that he'd never permitted her off the leash so to speak when it came to her sexual proclivities. What he hadn't expected was for the autumnal fae to lean in closer and plant a soft kiss to the side of his muzzle. Electric fire ran through his veins then, his heart skipping into rapid flutters. He didn't pull away, instead watching her while his breathing quickened, a notable hitch of arousal in his breath. Lia's whispered words right into his ear sent a delightful shiver down his spine that settled between his thighs, feeling parts of him stirring while the heat within his core grew hotter. She was vivid in her descriptions, her lips gazing the base of an ear and making it flick on reflex, bushy tail lashing in excited wags behind him. He swallowed hard, realizing that she had shifted to using his name instead of addressing him as Lord or Aegis. So that's what it had taken to get her to break her habitual responses of servitude: empowering her sexuality.

Lia's gentle fangs bit down on his delicate ear, causing obsidian lids to flutter over fireborn eyes. Artorias bit his lip, trying to stifle a low groan and failing miserably, the sound slipping from him while his paws flexed over the grass. Lia's laugh was heated and airy, and in her smoldering eyes he could see the lust she held for him—pure and natural, far different from the first time she'd tried to go down on him in that cave after he'd bought her. Lia pulled back, gently instructing him to lie back and she would show him firsthand. He didn't need to be told twice, and as soon as she finished speaking, the young alpha had rolled himself over onto his back beneath the smaller lady, presenting all of himself to her appraising eyes. Absolutely nothing was hidden amongst the soft fur of his underbelly as he granted Lia unrestricted access to all of him.

"Like this?" he asked, grinning up at her from his position on his back. Only two other wolves had ever gotten him in this position, and now Lia could count herself amongst those few rarities.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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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