Lets call it educational

Traveling the provinces between the Armada and their destination in the north was a mostly uneventful. The two wolves arrived to an unfamiliar part of the north that Artorias had never been to before, not even during his travels with Ulric. They entered a mountainous pass with numerous caves lining the cliff walls, the smell of salt from the nearby western sea stinging his nose in a pleasant manner. It was noticeably cooler here and very quiet, an off the beaten path location for a black market. Sirius howled for someone, and then they waited. Artorias scanned the environment with keen amber eyes, at one point thinking he noticed movement along one of the ridges, but when he looked there was nothing there.

After a short wait, a wolf began to approach them, dark as night and a few inches and pounds shorter and lighter than either himself or the Warlord. Artorias regarded the newcomer with civility, yet apprehension; he did not know this wolf. The wolf, however, seemed to know Sirius. He greeted the Warlord directly, then bid him good morning as well, asking if they were here for the market. Ah, so this was the wolf that had come to invite Sirius to the black market. Artorias expected Sirius to lead the dialogue, but instead the giant wolf gave him a nudge from behind, urging him forward a step. Art glanced back at Seer with a quizzical look, but his mentor just gave him an encouraging nod toward the other wolf. He wanted Artorias to take the lead on this one.

Turning back to face the other wolf, Artorias took a single step forward and greeted the wolf with a diplomatic smile and a tip of his head, noting how the other wolf held a submissive posture to them. Was he a slave as well, or simply being a demure host? "Good morning to you too. We are here for the market," he said, gesturing back toward Sirius' bear that was carrying their load of tradables and currency. "We're looking to make a purchase too, if we find something we like. We're-" Artorias cut off when Seer gave him another nudge, the boy's eyes rolling with an exasperated sigh. "I'm in the market for someone who would be appropriate as a handmaiden to a princess." Artorias gave the wolf a half smile, trying to not look completely out of his element here.

"Artorias Carpathius"