Right where I belong

Following the night he had shared with Briar, Artorias felt like he was walking through a dream. Everything felt just a little bit more floaty, a little brighter, a little more colorful when he had her around. Their relationship had changed, evolved into something much greater than either of them could have predicted, and he was loving every second of it! Despite how they tried to be careful around the rest of the Hallows—his mother, in particular—Artorias couldn't help the goofy grins he got whenever he looked at Briar by his side and saw her staring at him with those gorgeous turquoise eyes. His heart would do somersaults whenever she leaned into him and he felt her fur brush and mingle with his while walking together. And at night, it had become commonplace for one of them to slip away to spend the night together, always just innocently snuggling and whispering life plans, daydreams, things on their mind, or simply staying quiet while sharing kisses. It felt like life had finally started to turn around when Briar Fatalis became his, and he became entirely her own.

Today, she had joined him on his morning patrols as she had taken to, the two of them spending more time walking and chatting around the plains than actually patrolling. After breakfast, Briar had asked to go up to the tower, her most favorite place in the castle, and of course he had agreed, following her up the stairs in the grand foyer until they reached the tower—and then he paused. A reminder flipped through his brain. "Um, you go on up first. I forgot I needed to grab something!" he had said to her, giving her an encouraging smile before turning and bolting down the west wing corridor. He hurried past every other door until he arrived at his bedroom, slipping inside to grab the small velvet pouch sitting on the mantelpiece, peering inside at the contents with an appraising smile before rushing back to join Briar.

Running up the tower stairs two at a time, Artorias slipped almost silently up through the open trapdoor and into the warm summer air. He took a deep breath of the fresh air, loving the way the gentle breeze tousled his fur at the top of the tower. Briar was already standing beside a ledge, peering out at Auster around them. With the snow having melted and summer in near full swing, Auster had begun to return to life tenfold. Trees were sprouting green leaves, flowers and bushes were in bloom, wildlife had resumed normal activities, and water flowed freely unabated by ice. For a moment, the young man stood by the trapdoor, just watching Briar and taking her all in. He loved the way her tawny fur blew in the breeze, those accents of turquoise mixed in with brown captivating him. His eyes roamed from the tips of her antlers to the end of her tail, feeling his heart race from the mere sight of her alone. A dopey smile returned to his face; he was smitten with her, and it showed.

"I'm back," Artorias called out to her while kicking the trapdoor closed to grant them some privacy. He stepped over to join her at the parapet, smiling and dropping the little velvet bag by his paws. Amber eyes turned out over the blooming landscape, taking a deep breath to sample the scents coming from all the different terrains, surveying woods and forests, mountains and plains, rivers and streams, from one ocean to another. He did love his home, even if it was so far away from the things he loved. Speaking of... "What did I tell you? Looks even better in the summer," he remarked, casting a sideways grin to Briar. "Gwyn's been telling me that a lot of herbs are growing back in abundance too, so if you wanna go find some, it might not be a bad idea while you're here." He leaned over towards Briar to give her cheek a gentle kiss, smiling like a happy idiot all the while.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"