Shifts in priorities and perspectives

Briar grinned and giggled at the jokes Bowen made about knocking down a wall and making Artorias wheel her around in a cart. "Well, hopefully it doesn't come to that, but I'll certainly keep those options in mind," she replied with humor, enjoying the lightness of the conversation between them. It didn't feel like this easy, friendly conversation was something they had really been able to have in the past and it made Briar hopeful that this really was a turning point for them to be able to finally start building some kind of relationship. Briar wanted her and Artorias' children to be close with all of their aunts and their uncle—Bowen included—so it was good to see that there wasn't any kind of immediate animosity from the caramel and cream fae, at least not from what she could see.

She glanced down with surprise toward her sore paws as Bowen reached out, taking one of them between her own and massaging over her paw pads. It made her turquoise eyes blink with shock for a moment, but she didn't pull away, a bashful smile instead pulling at her features. She didn't realize Bowen would even notice her stretching out her paws when she laid down, doing it more out of habit than anything else at this point and certainly hadn't been looking for any kind of attention or sympathy. Still, it was such a nice gesture and it did actually feel wonderful on her over worked paws that she found herself relaxing even more as Bowen worked the soreness out of her paw.

She smiled gratefully as Bowen agreed to help her with her Carpathian. "Wonderful. I'll be looking forward to practicing with you then." Then the conversation shifted a bit as Bowen moved her massage from one paw to the next, the attention turning to Artorias as she was asked how he had been while she was away. Briar was quiet for a moment while she tried to find the best way to answer. Life of course had gone on in Bowen's absence, but she didn't want her sister-in-law to feel as though her presence wasn't missed since it of course was. She watched Bowen's paws working over her own as she answered, "He was certainly upset and he missed you. He was worried," she replied honestly. Even if Artorias hadn't said as much directly to her, she could still see it. "I think there was plenty to distract him after a while, but I can tell that he's relieved to have you home."

"Briar Carpathius"