The Duality of Wolf

Chimera remained stone faced for much of his introduction and explanation as to why he was here. He couldn't get a read on the man—perhaps that was a trait of a good leader. Keep your cards close to your chest; don't let anyone glean any information from you. Chimera rumbled that most of his women were healers, and that caught Artorias' attention in a snap. Women? As in multiple women belonging to the solitary brute? There were definitely no other scents of males here. Artorias was taken aback. A wolf could have multiple women to himself? The notion seemed outlandish; all he'd ever seen were monogamous pairings. His parents, the Ashen leaders, Sirius and Zee...

He didn't have long to dwell on his astonishment however, as Chimera was quick to take up the offered wine and motioned for the boy to follow him. Artorias did as instructed, keeping close behind Chimera while he surveyed the island ruins. It was a mystical and mysterious place, full of dark nooks and crannies throughout the island. The two walked through the jungle until they reached a large, central structure. The King's castle, he surmised. Chimera spoke of the Hallows, referring to them as a decent pack. Artorias nodded his head assent. His mother had set up the Hallows to be as such: a safe haven for those who needed it, base neutral to all outside pack affairs. Clearly they were succeeding in meeting that goal if this stranger had known them for such dealings.

But then Chimera surprised him further by explaining Fenmyre's reason for existing. It was a playground for dark desires and sinful pleasures. Slavery, rape, violence, murder... He was so forthcoming with the purpose for his pack that Artorias realized this was his business. As he said, this place was for the dark desires no one would admit to. Artorias felt a twisting conflict inside himself. He'd seen the world of slaves before, purchased one for himself, very nearly accidentally used her for his own sexual pleasure. He'd heard Bowen's story from start to finish. This world existed, and he couldn't pretend it didn't anymore. Walking into the building, Artorias marveled at the grandeur of the inner sanctum, walking the leaf-littered floor of the atrium towards a large ficus tree, where Chimera sat himself down.

Following his host's lead, Artorias came to rest on his haunches before the King of sin on his natural throne. Chimera asked what sort of wolf he was. Was he a good boy, or did he harbor those dark desires the dire brute spoke of? Artorias opened his mouth to respond—and hesitated. He was going to say he stood on the side of what was right and just... but was that really true? He'd bought a slave, participated in this world of his own volition. He thought of the anger he kept hidden away inside himself, the fire that raged and had to be released. Except he wasn't releasing it. He was repressing it, just like Sirius had shown him to do. Those urges to bite, to draw blood, to dominate... to destroy. He thought about the urges he'd felt with Lia as well... He felt them as real as he felt the ground beneath his paws. So was he really a good boy?

"I... I know the urges," replied Artorias honestly, meeting Chimera's mismatched eyes with conflict in his fiery ambers. Maybe he'd see the flames of anger that never truly went away in the younger wolf's eyes. Maybe he'd see the carnal desires of a lecher who'd only just begun to discover the world of sexual pleasures and releases. He was still young and green, but the innocence he'd once had was long gone by now. "I've never thought to act on them though. I've only been taught to repress them." He paused, looking the monochromatic king over in all his glory atop his throne. This man... he knew of the urges and desires. Did he feel them too? "I'm guessing you indulge in them? With your women?" Again, women. Multiple faes. Who was this wolf who lived in such a way?

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"