I hate to say this

The way Rudyard flinched back when he snapped at him didn't go unnoticed by the dark-furred lad. A pang of instant regret hit his heart like a needle, but he was still pissed at the way Rudy had been so willing to go with their mother's command, even though it was a stupid command. Artorias was obedient, sometimes to a fault, but when that order was ultimately detrimental and not delivered from a place of balance and stability, he felt it was his duty to disregard it and do what he knew was right. Not necessarily what was best—what was right. Giving up on your own family wasn't right. Letting someone surrender themselves without a fight wasn't right. Watching his mother decay and deteriorate in solitude wasn't right. He didn't know how, but somehow he would find a way to make this right. It was his responsibility to.

Rudy asked if he had a plan on how to help Resin and wanted to know the details. Artorias' expression sunk further, his normally lively eyes darkening behind storm clouds while he was grimly reminded of his lack of progress. Was this really what Rudy had asked him all the way out here for? They could have had this conversation anywhere in the castle instead of an empty field. But Rudy was showing signs of cooperation, and he would be remiss if he turned on his brother for trying to help him.

"Mom's sick, I heard Ulric say it. That means she can be cured too. I just have to find the cure somehow," he explained his plan far more simply that it actually was. He was also very careful to say "I" and not "we". He still didn't know if Rudyard was actually going to try and help him or not, so for now, the only wolf he could rely on was himself. "I've tried talking to some of the healers here, but they're all busy with Mama. Lúta, Indigo, Aranea, they're all preoccupied... but someone has to know something. I just need to find what it is... Whether it's a plant or a decoction, or... whatever else it could be. Someone somewhere has to know." And Artorias was prepared to spend the rest of his days searching for that answer if he had to. It was beyond frustrating that he couldn't leave Hallowed lands yet to go to find other healers around Boreas that might be able to help him.

But there was a greater lingering question on his mind that superseded all the other questions Rudy was asking him. Fixing Rudy with his steely gaze, Artorias asked him point blank, "Why are you asking me this? You didn't show any kind of signs you believed this could be stopped before now. So what's changed?"


"Artorias" | Thoughts | "Corbin"