Not happy, but way less sad

Artorias stood at the border of the Armada territories, facing out toward where his family's home had once been. Though the boundaries between lands was metaphysical, a very real, solid force seemed to hold him in place, preventing him from taking that step over to go see Briar. Since her breakdown at their training earlier in the day, Artorias hadn't seen hide nor hair of Briar around the Armada lands. Had she been avoiding him? Or had she been out here, doing whatever it was she had been up to. He didn't know why she'd asked him to come see her at the Sunset Falls in the evening. Clearly she had something on her mind. Actually, she had a lot on her mind. He did as well—though his thoughts were undoubtedly more morose than hers.

He had spent almost all day dwelling on what she had said, on how sad and broken she had looked when she looked up at him and pleaded for forgiveness. He still didn't think he believed Briar had fixed what had caused her to break down in the first place. She had felt inadequate, inferior compared to him. He didn't think much had changed in the short weeks that had followed their separation. Maybe he was wrong, but Briar seemed exactly the same to him. What bothered him most though was that she was still dwelling on herself and herself alone. He didn't know what inner demons she was wrestling with, but none of what was upsetting her was important to him. He hadn't chosen her because he was looking for the best fighter to have at his side or the best hunter to provide for him or anything of the sort. Yet Briar was forcing him to live by her standards and her rules, ending their relationship without any conversation from his side, without any regard for his feelings and perspective. It was that selfishness that had shown Artorias that perhaps Briar was right—maybe she wasn't good for him. If she didn't care about him enough to let him decide for himself who was right for him instead of forcing her decision onto him, then was she really the right wolf to be planning a life around?

These doubts and second thoughts had hurt almost as bad as Briar breaking his heart had, and coupled with the fresh loss of her had left him in a very dark state of mind. He'd been looking forward to this training trip as a distraction from everything, but it seemed like things would only get worse. Now he was being forced to face Briar and everything that came with her. Fucking great... Well, he supposed he could hear her out for what she had to say to him. If he didn't like any of it, he was always free to leave, no matter how much it might sting. Yet now, standing at the border, it felt like the most difficult task to take that step to go see her. For a brief moment, Artorias considered not going at all. Why shouldn't he stand her up? She'd given him no reason to seek her out. Ah, but then would he be any better than she had been, breaking his heart and running away without having a real conversation?

Scowling, Artorias took a deep breath and then stepped over the border. He trekked across the hot springs and towards the falls, once again following old and familiar paths he'd long-since stopped taking. He was alone and unarmed, having left all of his equipment and Corbin back at the barracks to go speak to Briar alone. As he trekked up the side of the falls, watching the clear water run like lava in the setting sunlight, he noticed the thin trail of smoke coming from up near where his family's den had been. Artorias raised a curious brow, and when he reached the summit, he realized the answer to his curiosity.

There Briar was, lying beside a campfire on some furs, fresh game cooking near the open flames. She was looking away from him, her profile illuminated in the fading sunlight and dancing firelight. Her turquoise eyes shone like gems from her face, and her fur looked radiant, clean and wavy, adhering to her feminine form like she were a perfect sculpture. Artorias hated how beautiful she looked and hated how just the sight of her like this made his heart ache. He was suddenly very aware how he would look compared to her: fur salt-tinged and sandy from his day of training on the beach with Mortis, very clearly in need of a bath where she had taken the time to clean herself up for him. Well shoot, too late to go back and make himself presentable now.

With curious amber eyes, Artorias approached Briar's campsite, eyeing the picnic she'd set up for them. "Expecting someone special?" he spoke to announce his presence to her, teasing her gently. He looked over everything she had prepared for them and had to admit he was a little impressed. She was trying really, really hard and it showed. "What's all this?" Artorias slowly made his way over to sit on the empty fur Briar had lain out and gazed inquisitively at the Fatalis princess, his posture notably defensive and tense. It couldn't be helped; he was sitting beside the wolf that had hurt him greater than anything else in the world had, after all.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"