I've got a Jar of Dirt

Artorias gave a short bark of amused laughter. "Going through all that trouble to taste my blood? Hmm, kinky. And touché, you've got me there." Sparrow balked at his request and whined that the sneaky-beaky night visits were half the fun, then renegotiated the terms, batting big blue eyes at him in a dramatic fashion. He snorted to keep from snickering, but knew he was already going to concede to the pirate king's request. All he'd really wanted from this conversation was to get a feel for who Sparrow was. The only times he'd seen her was when she was skulking around his border, and then again when she was metaphorically kicking down his door. In their banter, he could see just who Sparrow was. She wasn't a violent bloodthirsty menace. She was wild, yes, but she was just having fun, getting her kicks where she could. Like Artisan had told him, the pirates were just looking for a good time, and he had taken it too personally, been too uptight about it. In many ways, he needed the interaction with the pirates to smooth out those edges.

"I can work with a vague season. Wouldn't want to steal all the fun out from under you," he agreed with a playful grin. Sparrow seemed almost a bit dumbstruck when he offered her the wine, and when she confirmed that they couldn't be allies, Artorias simply nodded. "I know. I'd still like to share a drink with you one day." He never would have expected any different, nor would he make ludicrous or outlandish demands. He knew what she was and that was fine. The Hallows had always had a longstanding idea of neutrality at the least, and he didn't want to shut them out because of that—especially not after what he'd learned about Artisan's brother. What if another pirate desperately needed medical aid? Would he turn them away to their deaths? No, Artorias didn't want that. He wanted to be on negotiable terms with the pirate crew, to engage in banter and battle, host parties and have fun. Fun. Something Artorias was still learning how to have as an adult. Perhaps the pirates and their wily king were the road to that much needed outlet in his life.

After some thought, Sparrow agreed and offered her paw. Without hesitation, Artorias took it with his own, never minding the way the woman's claws bit into his skin. It almost felt like a test of sorts, and he wasn't going to be one to back down when she was meeting him on common ground. "Bit of a shame, really. I've had a hell of a time with Artisan. He's grown on me, helped me learn I need to loosen up more. I'm kinda sad to see him go, but I know he'll be happier with you. Hell, the stubborn jackass wouldn't eat anything for the first week we had him. Just kept pissing on my wolves when we tried to bring him anything!" he said with a chuckle, motioning for Sparrow and her companions to follow him. Artorias led the way down to the castle and through the gates and courtyard. "My mother said she remembered you from a while back. Said you wanted to see the inside of the castle. Well, today's your lucky day!" If Sparrow decided to follow him, he'd lead her into the castle's foyer and to the guest room they'd put Artisan up in since the drinking party the two men had shared.

Artorias dismissed the guard from in front of Artisan's "prison cell" and pushed open the door to the comfortable guest room. "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty. Mom's here to pick you up from daycare," he called in to Artisan, waiting for the inevitable ridicule he was sure Sparrow would send Artisan's way when she saw the sort of vacation he'd been put up in.

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