Through New Eyes

Adjusting to life without sight had been the most difficult challenge of his life. Every mundane task he'd taken for granted like navigating corridors or going up and down stairs had now become a dizzying and potentially lethal task. Figuring out where the hell he was in the castle was nigh impossible. Even just going through his daily life felt overwhelming and frustrating. He couldn't pick out food or wine, he couldn't tell which direction was north or south, he couldn't even consider how he was supposed to fight now! Artorias hadn't spoken to Ulric about it yet, but he was certain he'd be unable to lead the Hallows any longer. A pack with a blind wolf that could barely walk a straight line without tripping over something leading it would be a laughing stock and a vulnerable target. No, he couldn't let his disability bring his family down.

For all his depression and sorrow, Briar had stepped up to be his champion in more ways than he could ever have asked her to do. She stayed with him at all times, always by his side to help him get around. She helped him fetch meals and talked him down off the ledge whenever he felt another panic attack coming on. At night, she comforted and cuddled him, loved him silly until he fell asleep and proved he was still capable of loving her in turn. He'd been so crushed when he thought he'd have to give her up because of his blindness, and though a part of him still felt immense guilt for not heeding her worries, he knew he couldn't have possibly survived without her. Briar was the keystone of his life; without her he would crumble and collapse.

Morning crept slowly over Auster, though the sun barely peeked over the horizon anymore. It was a little over a week since Artorias had lost his sight. He lay tucked up in bed with Briar pressed up into him, entwined securely in his arms, just the way she'd been when they'd fallen asleep after another night of passionate lovemaking. A robin landed on his balcony, chirping its song to herald a sun that would never show. The noise disturbed Artorias from sleep, the young brute grumbling under his breath while he tried to burrow his face into the pillows and drift back off. When the bird refused to leave, Artorias resigned himself to consciousness with a sigh and blinked open his eyes, gazing around the dark bedroom. It was still early, light barely peeking in through cracks in the curtains. His eyes followed the paths of light across the stone walls, glancing down to his sleeping girlfriend in his arms. A loving smile crept across his face while the groggy wolf lay his head back down and closed his eyes, losing the room around him to darkness once more...

Amber eyes flew open with a gasp. The room. The light. Briar. He could see it all! Artorias could see again! Sitting up, he looked all around, taking in the sights with amazement. A quick pinch to his thigh to make sure this wasn't a dream, and nope! He was awake and he could see! Art blinked a few times in bewilderment, turning his amber gaze back down to Briar once more. "Briar!" he whispered to her in the stillness of the early morning, gently shaking her shoulder. "Briar, wake up! I...I can see again!"

"Artorias Carpathius"