A stitch away from making it

Artorias' happiness seemed to grow exponentially along with the grin on Briar's face when he told her he would never get tired of seeing her and offered her a permanent room in the castle. It was more than just a nice gesture; Artorias was completely serious. Both of their families were in emotional turmoil right now, but whereas he had his family to lean on, the Fatalis family was even more fragmented than the Hallows was. He could be her safe space, her sanctuary, her port in the eye of the hurricane to find refuge in when she needed to escape from the hell her world had become. At the very least he could offer her a place to sleep where she wouldn't have to be afraid of waking up with someone trying to devour her throat. He would protect her, he would shield her away from anything that dared try to lay harm onto her. This way, she could be happy and safe, and he could keep her close to him and make sure any dangers were stopped before they ever came close to his Briar.

Her curious expression caught him by surprise, but her question elucidated his confusion. Sudden awareness sparked in his expression and a knowing smile replaced the stunned look. "Oh, right! I didn't tell you!" He had been so caught up in making sure she was okay and bringing her into the safety of Hallowed lands that he had neglected to even mention what had changed in his life. "I, uh, I got my official rank in the pack." Artorias wore a proud smile as he patted his chest with a paw. "I'm the Baron of the Hallows now. It means I'm second-in-command, and the next heir to the pack once Ulric decides to step down as alpha." He spoke so matter-of-factly, no hubris or pomp in his voice. The Carpathius boy was supremely humbled by how much faith Ulric had in him, and he intended to return dividends to the Adravendi's investment in him. He would make them all proud: his family, his pack, everyone.

"I'm still new to the rank, so I'm feeling out what I can and can't do, but Ulric has been teaching me a lot, showing me the ropes, so one day I can be a good leader too," he explained, ears flicking back while a sheepish grin split his muzzle. "So, if you wanted a permanent place to stay here, I can probably make it happen. Get you a bigger room, a nicer bed, whatever you want."


"Artorias" | Thoughts | "Corbin"