Trying To Find The Words

Artorias was sitting alone in the castle armory, the quiet disturbed only by the occasional sound of a brush rubbing over hardened metal. He was putting the finishing touches on the armor he had been restoring from the castle's armaments: a hardened leather cuirass still in good condition, wrapped in oil-soaked cloths he'd found tucked away, with a metal gorget around the throat that he had returned to a smooth matte finish with tedious efforts and dedicated paws. He set the brush aside and sat back to admire his handiwork, looking over the leather straps and metal buckles, the creases in the smooth brown leather from age. Slipping it over his body, he fastened the straps and stood, trotting around the armory a few times to feel how it shifted and moved. It would need some adjustments, but it worked wonderfully. He managed a small smile at his handiwork; now he was starting to feel more like a proper knight.

Lúta's call for his family echoed down the castle corridors, catching his attention with a worried glance. If Lúta was calling for them, then it had to be something with Resin, and if it was something with Resin... Fearing the worst, Artorias hurried out of the armory, not bothering to shut the door or remove his armor while he rushed down the halls to the entrance to the castle dungeons. He froze at the top of the steps for a moment, peering down into the darkness below; what would he find when he went down there? What sort of state would Resin be in? Was she even still alive, or was he being called to help pull her desiccated corpse from her self-imposed tomb? He swallowed hard, then began the slow descend into the dungeons.

Despite his initial fears, once Artorias reached the bottom, he was shocked to find not only Tamsyn there as well, but that Resin had been let out of her cell. There was a moment of pause as his mind registered that all of this was real; his mother was free, and although she looked dreadful, she was alive and she was free!

"Mom!" Artorias cried out and all but ran over to see her. Damned be the danger she was, or the reminder of what she could do to him still healing on Tamsyn's face. His mother was free. He wasn't going to squander this chance. He would gladly take a bite for one last chance to embrace her. Artorias would not stop until he had come up to his ashen mother, only coming to a halt once he was able to reach to pull her into an embrace and go to nuzzle her cheek. Free. Resin was free. He could touch her, hug her, tell her everything he wanted to without feeling like they were a world apart. He was not afraid of her. Artorias bit his tongue, trying to keep the tears from flooding his eyes as he made the most of the moment.


"Artorias" | Thoughts | "Corbin"