Who you were meant to be

As Bramble spoke and recounted her opinion of the success of the Harvest Ball, Artorias listened in quiet rapt attention. He watched his daughter, studying her, practically bursting with pride as he marveled at the wonderful young woman she had grown into. Her elation was palpable as she described the event from her perspective and each word gushed from her heart brightened the look of love and joy on Artorias’ face. When Bramble asked, somewhat trepidatiously, about what he wanted to talk about regarding the ball, the proud father could contain his surprise no more. "I just wanted to hear your opinion on how the event went. This was your pride project and I know it meant a lot to you." A pause, a beat as his smile grew before Art added on, "Besides, I need my Envoy’s opinion on all diplomatic matters of our pack."

There it was. Artorias waited with eager bated breath to see his daughter’s reaction as she realized what he was saying. Unbeknownst to her, the Harvest Ball had been his test to see if Bramble was ready to handle the responsibilities of being the Hallows’ primary diplomat for foreign affairs. The way she successfully rallied her pack mates and got their friends and allies to join in the festivities was proof enough for him that she had what it took to succeed. "You’ve made tremendous strides in all your growth, Bramble. You are not only an accomplished warrior, but you have the smarts to navigate social and political situations and the moxie to never give up or back down. No father has ever been more proud of their child than I am of who you’ve become."

All the sweet words aside, there was still the matter of the official offer. Artorias gestured to the chair she sat in with one large paw. "If you’d like, that chair is now yours. As Envoy, you won’t be a full fledged member of the High Council just yet, but you’ll be needed at every political meeting to keep abreast of what’s going on in the world. You’ll be responsible for all interpack affairs and relations between the Hallows and the rest of the world. You’ll be my go-to for political opinions and reports, an expert in all things public relations and diplomacy." Smiling wide from ear to ear, Artorias leaned closer across the table toward Bramble, his own tail wagging in excited anticipation. "Whatdya say, Brammie? Do you want to be the Envoy to my Lord of Cinder?"

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"