Luxury Accommodations

Artorias was dead chuffed that Manea and Alastor were enjoying the wine and food. He was quite proud of his familial home and everything within, including the vast wine cellar that his wolves worked hard to produce and keep stocked. He also knew Briar had dedicated a lot of her free time and effort towards coming up with new recipes for the wolves to manufacture, a project entirely her own that he was right proud of her for. Manea told them all about their home on Alias Island, then extended an invitation for the couple to come visit them sometime. "That's very kind of you, Manea! I'm sure we'll be taking advantage of that hospitality sooner rather than later," he replied, turning his toothy smile to Briar. There was no secret that Artorias loved travel and exploration. This would just be a good excuse to get out on another excursion to see parts of the world he'd never seen before. Manea made a comment about their accommodations not being quite as regal as the castle, and he gave a low chuckle while Briar explained how neither of them had been born living in the lavish castle, explaining how her family's dens were much more traditional. "And my family used to live in the Sunset Falls before we made the move down to Auster. Believe me, whatever you have is more than enough, because it's your home." Art had learned long ago that home wasn't the walls that surrounded you, but the wolves that filled those spaces.

The conversation and dinner continued, and as it went on, Artorias found himself drinking more and more. At first he hadn't realized he was, until he caught a glimpse of Alastor watching him mid-sip and realized that he had been subconsciously drinking whenever the other brute did. He hadn't realized he'd been doing that, but all of a sudden he was a fair bit tipsy and half the bottle of wine was gone. Oops. Well, Artorias always had been a social drinker; perhaps he was just following cues from his guests and drinking whenever they had been. Briar also noticed, and with a bump and a glance, Artorias got the message loud and clear. He shot his fiancée an apologetic grin and made a mental note to monitor his alcohol consumption, lest she have to hobble him up the stairs and into bed. As time slipped by, Artorias also began to notice the little affections the Mendacium wolves were giving one another. Manea and Alastor were a very open and outward pair with their relationship and sexuality, it seemed—which came as no surprise, given his first interaction with the alphess as well as the noises they'd heard the mating couple make earlier. It did, however, spark something in Artorias—competitiveness, maybe?—and he surreptitiously curled his tail around to slowly brush up along the backside of Briar's rump, teasing her silky fur there with his tail. If Manea and Alastor could be lovey like this, he and Briar could be too.

Alastor complimented the couple, drawing a bashful smile from Artorias who turned a look of unabashed love to his Fatalis princess, who was grinning back at him now. Briar began to tell the story of how they had met, how their parents had been lifelong friends, and the epic puppy spar that sparked their rivalry, friendship and relationship. "I dunno, I still think it was pretty fierce, but then again I did dominate you, like you said, so..." he remarked while Briar planted a sweet kiss on his cheek, a roguish grin on the brute's face. He chuckled as well and responded with a soft lick to the end of Briar's nose before she could fully pull away again, fiery eyes shining with love for her. It was funny to look back on where they had begun and where they were now, how much time had passed and how much had changed in them and between them. "Briar's not nearly giving herself enough credit though. She defied her father to come see me when my mother fell ill, just to make sure I was okay. It might not sound very impressive, but when you consider that her father is the Warlord of the Armada, then suddenly disobeying him is a much more daunting feat. She did it all without batting an eyelash. She's the bravest wolf I know." Now it was Artorias' turn to place a lingering kiss to the side of Briar's muzzle—then another, and another, until he was peppering the side of her face in a tipsy haze, partially wanting to love on her and partially to make her flail and fluster her a bit in good fun.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"