Fill these halls with music

As Mercury began to play, Artorias watched his Commander with abject reverence and awe. Listening to how Mercury's paws flew over the keys with practiced memory as he crafted his song. The melody echoed beautifully around the stone walls of the Great Hall, mellifluous and perfect. Artorias was immediately hit with a wave of emotion listening to his dear friend play for them, his imagination already crafting years of moments where the piano could contribute. Yearling Harvest Balls as new generations danced and mingled, a mood setting for their Feast of Unity, generations of Carpathian pups learning to play with their sires and dams. A few errant glowing tears began to well in the corners of the Lord of Cinder's eyes. This piano was going to be a new keystone of the Hallows and of the Carpathian family.

Blinking back the teal glowing tears from the corners of his eyes, Artorias looked over to Bramble as she voiced the unspoken thoughts he had in his head, asking Mercury to play at the next Harvest Ball. A smile slowly stretched across Art's lips, looking at his daughters with pride and love. Then Bramble is walking over to him, offering him her paw and asking to dance. Artorias' heart wells with paternal adoration and he smiles brightly at his little girl, not so little anymore. "Mi-ar face plăcere." Taking her paw, Artorias gently drew Bramble closer to him and moved to brace his chest against hers, smiling all the while as he started to gently sway back and forth in time to Mercury's music with his daughter. His paws took the lead, navigating them around the smooth stone floors with the occasional click of their claws in time to one another's. Although far from a trained dancer, Artorias had swept across these floors often enough with Briar to be decent. "You'll be dancing with a boy like this instead of your old sire someday, Brammie," he playfully teased her with a grin, glancing over to Ember amidst their dance and realizing just how mature his girls had grown already.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"