Named for the Mountains

Much to Artorias' delight, Grimshaw was equal parts bashful and irked by his praising and teasing. The glower he got made the young alpha snicker, and the venomous leers his brother's date had him fixed with were wholly ignored. There would be no reason to address them and cause a scene at the party. After all, he knew exactly where they were coming from. Grimshaw must have told Malachai about what they had gotten into the last time he had visited the Hallows. While Artorias didn't regret a single moment of it, for it had opened him up to his own sexuality and helped Grimshaw embrace his own, he did feel sorry that his presence seemed to put Malachai on edge. He really did want his brother to be happy, truly, and if this clingy man did that for him, then Artorias wanted to find it in himself to like the other male, no matter how difficult the blue-striped wolf seemed to want to make it.

Still, Grimshaw agreed, and when Malachai was invited he also seemed to soften up if just a touch to be included. Artorias grinned brightly and motioned for the two wolves to follow him, leading the way across the banquet hall and down the corridor to the main entrance that let out into the gardens. The warm summer evening was clear and bright, with a sea of stars shining in the heavens overhead. A cool coastal breeze rustled the branches of the trees subtly, and only a few other wolves milled about the gardens, deep in conversation. They would have all the privacy they needed. Artorias led the way down the terrace steps and along one of the garden's many cobblestone paths, taking a leisurely stroll through the evening courtyard with his brother and his brother's partner.

"I wanted to take a moment to have a heart to heart with you, Grim. With you living so far away now, it feels like every chance we get together is time I need to make the most of," explained Artorias, getting right to the matter and not dancing around what he wanted to talk about. He turned bright eyes and a warm smile to his adoptive brother, leaning in to nudge his shoulder gently with his own. "I really am proud of you, Grim. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, we've had our fights, but I respect the hell out of you. I saw you struggle when we were growing up, but it seems like you've finally found who you are, who you were meant to be. A warrior, a role model, a partner... a brother."

Artorias stopped his stroll and sat down on the cobblestone path, shifting to turn and face Grimshaw directly then. What he wanted to say was far too important to treat as small talk while enjoying a brisk walk. "You're my brother, Grim, and you always will be. I love you as much as my flesh and blood siblings, and to me, you're one too. Which is why I want to give you what you should always have had from the start." Artorias would raise his paw then and lean in, aiming to place his paw on his brother's shoulder while he spoke. "Before you struck out on your own, Resin gave us all the chance to be a family. She gave us all a name. Carpathius. It means 'with the strength of the mountains' in our mother's tongue. Back then, you didn't want to take it. But I can't think of any wolf more deserving to carry it than my brother who fought and climbed his way from the dredges of depression and struggle into the man he is today."

Artorias' smile softened while he gazed with pride and fraternal love at his brother. "If you'll accept it, I'd like you to take the name Carpathius with you. Grimshaw Carpathius. A reminder of where you came from, what you survived to get to where you are, and that you're never ever alone." His amber-gold eyes flickered over to Malachai for a second with a little knowing grin twitching at the corners of his lips. "And if you ever choose to share it with anyone, I trust the decisions you'll make." He rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "Or you could replace it with their family name if you choose. Take it as a middle name, like Briar did. This is the greatest and most personal gift I can give to you, Grim, and I can think of no one more worthy to receive it than you." Artorias let the silence fill in the space between them as he finished speaking. The decision was entirely up to Grimshaw now. Artorias would have loved for his brother to take what was rightfully his as a part of their family. But if he refused, he would understand. Disappointing—but he'd understand. The least he could do was offer and try.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"