These Peaceful Interludes

The joy in Briar's face confirmed what her words told him when she answered his question. She had made the armlet herself. That certainly explained the intricate attention to detail and the flawless craftsmanship. Every part of the accessory screamed Briar, and he loved it all the more for that quality. "I love it," he corrected her with a gentle smile. Like was too much of an understatement and didn't give her the full credit she deserved. Once he had it on and the two young lovers were snuggling together, he watched while Briar lifted her foreleg and draped it over his, her bangle that he had restored for her resting next to his new band in beautiful symmetry yet also stark contrast. The fire opals and brilliant topaz stones shone in the sunlight next to one another. They were both perfect representations of their personalities—fiery and lively, masculine and feminine, different yet strikingly the same. It made Artorias smile as he gazed down at where their forelegs met.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Briar looking up at him, and as Artorias turned to look at her back, he felt her soft lips meet his. "I love you too," he spoke softly in reply, eager to return her affectionate nuzzle with a quiet hum of delight. "My Briar... My beautiful, loving queen." He shifted his body to curl around hers a little closer while she gripped his foreleg, draping his other foreleg across her side to hold her close to him. He fell in love with her more and more every day they spent together. He didn't know if it was happenstance or fate that brought them together that day on the Armada beach almost two years ago, but he would forever be grateful to whatever force brought that perfect antlered little girl into his life.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"