The Calm Before

Briar's reassurances always put him at ease. She was what helped keep him grounded when he lost himself in the tizzy of doing all he could to prepare for any possible eventuality that may arise. He knew he could never be 100% fully prepared for everything, but that didn't stop him from running around like a chicken without a head trying to make everything perfect for their coming children. Fortunately, his wonderful wife kept him sane, calmed him down when he began to lose himself, and soothed away his worries, just like she was doing now. Briar suggested he save his energy for chasing around their pups when they were finally let loose on the castle, and already Artorias was cringing as he imagined the panic those little Carpathians would be striking into his heart. He'd been a pup running around these halls only a few short years ago. It felt surreal to realize that now he'd be watching his own little ones doing as their father had once done. The world was definitely not ready for them!

"Gods be good, what sort of madness are we unleashing on this poor, unsuspecting world?" he joked and teased while he nuzzled into the back of Briar's neck, all smiles and full of love for his family wrapped up in his arms right now. "I'm supposed to be a protector of the Hallows, and instead I'm about to unleash an unspeakable chaos onto it! We'll never recover!" He snickered again while Briar leaned back against his body for support, keeping her held snugly in his forearms. With how large she had gotten, he knew comfort was a rare commodity she found in short supply, so he did all he could to bring her as much as he could manage. Cuddles seemed to work the trick the best still. Together the two of them lay on the furs in front of the crackling fire, his large paws resting over Briar's swollen belly while her own paws rested atop of his, both mother and father cradling their unborn children. A soft, loving smile touched Artorias' face, amber eyes so full of paternal love for the pups he hadn't even met yet. His mother had told him once that he would need to be a father himself one day to fully comprehend the amount of love a parent could have for their child. Now he was starting to think that he could understand what his mother had meant.

Briar answered his curiosity; their pups had been mostly calm today. That was good. It meant they'd be giving Briar plenty of chances to rest. That is, they were calm, until Artorias suddenly felt a flurry of kicking paws beating against the inside of Briar's belly, catching both parents by surprise. The smile on Artorias' face expanded into a wide, excited grin, his tail wagging in a blur while Briar guided his paw to the points on her belly where she felt the kicking and squirming the most. Feeling their active pups made Artorias' heart flip in his chest, he was so indescribably happy and excited! "Oh my gods, feel them go!" he remarked with a giddy giggle, feeling tiny invisible paws pushing up against his own from within his mate. It was so bizarre and alien, and yet at the same time, so incredible and awe-inspiring! "I guess they just know when we're together, or when we're trying to snuggle," he chuckled, then felt another especially strong kick against his paw and his eyes flashed mischievously. "That one is gonna challenge me for Aegis, I can tell already."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"