Let go of the past

As Mercury proceeded to explain his need for a decent sized tree, Artorias found himself enthralled in the reasons the other man had for his request. So it was for a spiritual belief. Art listened in reverent silence while Mercury regaled him with the tradition of his people. Wind chimes were hung in memoriam of loved ones that had passed on, and each brush of wind would permit them to sing with the voices of the departed. It was a beautiful and somber tradition, one that the Aegis found himself strangely moved by. Perhaps it was following in the wake of his own brushes with death, seeing his mother's ghost in her afterlife, the things he'd experienced and bore witness to during the Long Night that made him far more of a believer in the things that existed beyond their earthly realm.

Once Mercury had finished his explanation, Artorias gave a gentle tip of his chin in a subtle nod to show he'd heard and understood. "Thank you for sharing that with me, Mercury," he replied after a moment of quiet thought. "As I said, the Hallows has many trees, and you are welcome to use any of them for your purposes. Most exist in the Wildberry Grove or along the edges of our territory. The plains are mostly flatland without much in the way of trees." Artorias turned his head slightly until his fiery gaze met with the cool tempest of Mercury's once more, sharing a far deeper and more personal gaze with his fellow wolf. "But I'd like to urge you to use our gardens within the castle. The gardens are filled with wisteria trees. In the spring and summer, they burst with vibrant violet blooms unseen anywhere else. In the fall, their leaves turn into a beautiful sea of gold. They will forever be protected by our walls, easy to tend to and add new ones, and you'll be able to hear the chimes every day." Artorias carefully reached a paw across to touch the edge of Mercury's with his own once more. "It would be my honor to bring your tradition to our home."

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