ooc: This will be before Lúta gets sick which I have set as before Sirius comes to the hollows after Zee/Azures "death". If this doesn't work time wise though let me know!  

Lúta was nervous, but so grateful that Resin had agreed to see her kids. She had spent extra time measuring the doses to make sure it was just right. Too much would put Resin straight to sleep, too little would fail to stave off a violent outburst. This had to be perfect. When she was sure the mixture was ready she poured it into her waterskin and trotted down to the dungeons to see Resin. It was a delicate tincture of valerian, chamomile, and cannabis diluted with water into the appropriate amount which would make it easier to take.

"Resin? It's Lúta. How are you feeling this morning? I have the mixture here, once it takes affect I can call the kids." She wanted to make sure Resin was still on board and comfortable before calling anyone else down to her. She set the ceramic bowl down near the bars and poured in the mixture from her water skin before gently scooting it in.

It had been a bad night. There were a few points where she couldn't remember where she was. After a while, Resin simply gave up on sleep. It was safer to just stay awake while she knew who and where she was. After a time, she began pacing simply to stay awake. When Luta came to offer her the drink that would allow her to see her children, Resin was already exhausted. The voice of the healer met the woman's obsidian ears and she slowed to a stop. Moving towards the bars of the cell, Resin watched as Luta poured the contents of a skin into a dish. The sunset woman questioned her and the ashen fae released a low rumble. "Exhausted. My mind feels... thin." She couldn't really think of how else to explain the way that she felt. It was as though she was looking through a thin layer of ice and her true self lay just beneath. Taking up the dish, Resin drained its contents quickly. It didn't taste great, but that hardly mattered. She seated herself at the bars and pushed the dish back through. "Thank you, Luta," the imprisoned woman spoke quietly. "You're a good friend." She wondered how long the concoction would take to work. Earlier in the day she'd had Ulric bring the gifts for her children. She wanted to personally give the birthday gifts to each. "Speech"

Lúta could see the exhaustion on Resin's face and wondered if perhaps she should look into adjusting her valerian and cannabis tincture. She knew it would be difficult to keep up with the progression of the disease but the insomnia should be treatable. A dread thought briefly entered her mind. There were dozens of kinds of dementia and if Resin happened to have fatal familial insomnia… spirits, she couldn't even think about that. At best it was a sporadic incident, at worse it could pass onto the pups.

"I'll try some adjustments to my sleeping draught, see if that helps with the sleep." She watched as Resin drank the contents. Tears started to well in her eyes as Resin thanked her. "I feel the same about you, Resin." Her voice started to crack. "Spirits, I'm going to miss you." She swallowed hard at the painful lump forming in her throat and focused at the task at hand. Once the medicine had taken affect and Resin was settled Lúta moved to unbind the bars that locked the iron doors. Raga took a steel pole and carefully ran it through the binding bar at an angle. Between the two of them they managed to bend one side of the binding bar enough to slide it loose and open the barred doors. This way Resin could and the children could see each other without having to talk through iron bars.

Once that was done Lúta paced out to the hallway and called for Tamsyn and the kids to come visit.

Word had gotten back to her through Ulric of the plan that Resin and Lúta had to be able to have Resin give the children their birthday presents and she was... nervous. She wanted desperately to be hopeful and positive, but it still had her slightly on edge. She paced around the castle for a while after Lúta had gone down into the dungeons, doing her best to clear away the memories that plagued for just this one moment. Just one more time of being able to see her Resin, even if she was sedated... It was almost as much of a gift to her as it was their children.

When she heard Lúta's call, she immediately went into the hall at the top of the stairs that would lead them to the dungeon. She found the healer there and gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you for doing this," she told her quietly before the kids arrived. "I know Resin had been looking forward to giving them their gifts for a long time... I was afraid their birthday would be completely ruined with all of this." She put her whole focus on what was making this day a happy one and did her best to ignore her own trauma and anxiety. She certainly didn't want to darken such a day with her own fear.






















"Tamsyn" | "Blue"

Artorias was sitting alone in the castle armory, the quiet disturbed only by the occasional sound of a brush rubbing over hardened metal. He was putting the finishing touches on the armor he had been restoring from the castle's armaments: a hardened leather cuirass still in good condition, wrapped in oil-soaked cloths he'd found tucked away, with a metal gorget around the throat that he had returned to a smooth matte finish with tedious efforts and dedicated paws. He set the brush aside and sat back to admire his handiwork, looking over the leather straps and metal buckles, the creases in the smooth brown leather from age. Slipping it over his body, he fastened the straps and stood, trotting around the armory a few times to feel how it shifted and moved. It would need some adjustments, but it worked wonderfully. He managed a small smile at his handiwork; now he was starting to feel more like a proper knight.

Lúta's call for his family echoed down the castle corridors, catching his attention with a worried glance. If Lúta was calling for them, then it had to be something with Resin, and if it was something with Resin... Fearing the worst, Artorias hurried out of the armory, not bothering to shut the door or remove his armor while he rushed down the halls to the entrance to the castle dungeons. He froze at the top of the steps for a moment, peering down into the darkness below; what would he find when he went down there? What sort of state would Resin be in? Was she even still alive, or was he being called to help pull her desiccated corpse from her self-imposed tomb? He swallowed hard, then began the slow descend into the dungeons.

Despite his initial fears, once Artorias reached the bottom, he was shocked to find not only Tamsyn there as well, but that Resin had been let out of her cell. There was a moment of pause as his mind registered that all of this was real; his mother was free, and although she looked dreadful, she was alive and she was free!

"Mom!" Artorias cried out and all but ran over to see her. Damned be the danger she was, or the reminder of what she could do to him still healing on Tamsyn's face. His mother was free. He wasn't going to squander this chance. He would gladly take a bite for one last chance to embrace her. Artorias would not stop until he had come up to his ashen mother, only coming to a halt once he was able to reach to pull her into an embrace and go to nuzzle her cheek. Free. Resin was free. He could touch her, hug her, tell her everything he wanted to without feeling like they were a world apart. He was not afraid of her. Artorias bit his tongue, trying to keep the tears from flooding his eyes as he made the most of the moment.


"Artorias" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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Gwynevere had avoided going to see her mother entirely, saying that she was firmly following the rules that Ulric had laid out for them, but it was mostly just out of her own volition. Treating Tamsyn that first night had shaken her to her core. She already had her own aversions to violence as it was and after seeing what Resin had done and spending countless sleepless nights worrying about Tamsyn... She wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to see Resin again. She would rather just try to remember Resin from the last interaction they had when Resin brought her a gift of herbs - the same herbs she had ended up using on Tamsyn.

When Lúta called for them she stopped the work she was doing within her room and froze, listening to the howl uncertainly. If something was happening with Resin then she knew she should be there and if all her other siblings were going she knew her absence would be sorely noticed. She let a long breath out through her nose before finally turning toward the door and walking out through the castle, her nerves running higher and higher the closer she got. She didn't want to be afraid of Resin, but after what she had seen her mother go through to recover it was hard for her not to be.

She got to the dungeons just as Artorias was beginning to go down the stairs and she hesitated for a moment, gathering up what little courage she had before she followed after him, her heart beating nervously in her chest. She reached the bottom of the stairs and was shocked when she saw that Resin was free from the cell. Unlike her brothers and mother she hadn't been down here before so this was the first time seeing the layout of the dungeon, but she had heard that Resin had been locked away behind the bars. Seeing her out like this certainly didn't help her nerves. Gwyn went to Tamsyn's side and pressed into it, watching Resin uncertainly and tried to ignore her need to get Artorias away from her. She seemed calm right now and the longer she watched Artorias hugging her the more her nerves began to fade, but it was still difficult.

Gwynevere | Eilwen

Rudy had been laying down half asleep.  The boy’s mind was processing through a lot of information with all that had happened with his return the other day.  At least, to him, it felt like a lot.  He’d learned the information he had come up with wasn’t worthwhile and so his entire trek had been a waste.  Rudy let out a resigned sigh and sternly assured himself there had been meaning.  He had seen and learned things and maybe it would help him someday, somehow.  Mom was still going to die and he hadn’t even helped her feel better.

When Rudy heard Luta howl his head came up, glancing about the room as he got his mind on straight.  Luta?  Mom!  Rudy charged out of his room and then slowing down as the stairs came into sight.  His stomach clenched at that point.  What was he going to find when he went down there?  The young wolf looked thoughtfully at the stairs.  Rudy clamped his jaw then lifted his head up.  Rudy Carpathius wasn’t going to look hesitant when he went to see mom.  With that determination found and a whirling stomach, he stepped down the stairs.

When he got down he spotted mom and Gwyn to one side but there was mom with Art.  Mom outside of the cell and Art embracing her.  Rudy had imagined this would be sitting with bars in between and trying to appear composed for her.  Art embarrassing her was too much and the motley grey wolf charged forward.  “Mom,” the young man's voice soft, pressing his own head up against mom’s other cheek.  She was stuck between two of them now.  Rudy’s tail was suddenly swishing back and forth. “Mom I love you."

She was clearly worse and that was horrible but right this second he didn’t want to think about that.  He wanted to feel mom’s fur against him, have his nose soaking up her scent and ignore the clinging sickness that came with it.  Rudy closed his eyes to imagine for a moment and picturing what his mom always looked like and that was the mom next to him.  Rudy knew things weren’t ok but for a moment in time, he could imagine it was.

Rudyard Carpathius

Avantika was huddled in the corner of her room. Ocean eyes stared, blinking only rarely, at the entrance. She was trembling slightly. She was completely unaware of that trembling, or that her paws were pressed rootedly against the floor, or that her hindquarters' muscles were tensed, ready to leap at any given moment. Every muscle in her body was drawn to the point of discomfort. Her thoughts overwhelmed her surroundings, but instead of providing an escape, they kept her tied to this frantic existence. The foundling had thought that she had grown braver since her pathetic beginnings, but here she was, crouching in much the same manner she always had then. Luta's summons shook her even physically. Her breaths quickened. She called across the bond to Kaata, who was... somewhere. Avantika couldn't remember if she'd even told her where she'd be. Did it matter? She pulled herself up to something reasonably close to a normal standing position and begged her paws to move. They didn't. Thankfully, Kaata flew in just then. Avantika always felt more comfortable with her claws pinching her shoulder. They pinched just enough to remind her that she wasn't alone, but not enough to hurt. She was grateful to have those claws on her shoulder now. Resin was there. Calm. Good. Artorias was hugging her. A knife stabbed Avantika's heart, even as she stayed back by the exit, still in her submissive posture. Her tail pressed against her belly. She couldn't stop glancing at Tamsyn's face. "Say hi," Kaata ordered. "H--hey, Resin." She figured she got through the words well enough, if her quiet voice and its trailing off by the end could be forgiven. Artorias and Rudy both called Resin "mom", but she couldn't bring herself to. She loved Resin, but... She just couldn't. "Avantika to Kaata telepathy" "Kaata to Avantika telepathy" "speak"

Luta's eyes filling with tears brought a gentle, sad smile to Resin's lips. The woman truly was a good wolf. A good friend. She would miss her. Luta gave her the sedative and Resin choked it down. Together, the pair of women waited until it began to settle in her system. Only then did Luta and her companion open the door. As Resin exited the cell and settled herself on a pile of furs beside the fireplace, the healer went upstairs to fetch her family. Artorias was the first to rush down the stairs and into her embrace. When had he gotten so big? He looked like a young man now and Resin just couldn't believe that time had passed so quickly. Moments later, Tamsyn and Gwyn came down the stairs. She noted the fearful look on the dark child's face and couldn't blame her for it. Resin simply offered her a soft smile. She would never force the girl to come near her. It had to be her choice. What was happening to Resin was a scary thing and what she'd done to their mother's face was even more frightening. Rudyard rushed down the stairs and straight towards her, mashing his face against her cheek. The ashen fae sat on her haunches and wrapped her other foreleg around the mottled boy, pulling him into an embrace as well. He expressed his love and Resin chuckled softly. "I love you as well. All of you." Her golden gaze drifted upwards as Tika arrived, giving her a shy greeting. Gently pushing the two boys back a bit, she settled down once more. "I'm sorry that I missed your birthdays," she began before motioning to the side of the room near the door. "For Tika, a mask and armor. For Rudyard, my clawed bracers. For Art, the sword he always wanted and for Gwyn..." she looked towards the dark face of her daughter. "I've had pallets and dividers commissioned for your infirmary." Daphne was absent as was Grimshaw. It didn't sadden the woman. If they were meant to be there, then they would have been there. She addressed the children present once more. "I hope you like your gifts." "Speech"

Hearing his mother's voice, that calming, steadying rasp that was so distinctly Resin, it brought a soothing calm to his aching heart. As he embraced her, nuzzling into her ashen fur that had comforted him as a small pup, he wished that time would stop right where it was. He and his family could live in this moment forever, without ever having to let her go again, where for the briefest moment of time Resin was theirs again. He was jostled a bit when Rudyard pushed his way up into an embrace with their mother as well, both Carpathius sons surrounding Resin with love and support. He wouldn't even attempt to pull away until Resin gently ushered himself and his brother back, apologizing for missing their birthdays. Artorias immediately went to dismiss her apology; she had nothing to be sorry for. He would surrender every birthday celebration for the rest of his days if it meant keeping his mother around. Whatever it took, no cost was too great.

Instead, Resin gestured to the far wall. Artorias turned around in confusion, his eyes going wide with realization when they spotted the assortment of gifts tucked just beyond their view. Resin began to detail each gift in turn, but Artorias had already figured out which one was his before she said it out loud. He made his way across the room with slow strides, approaching the shiny silver sword propped up against the wall. The hilt was wrapped in fresh brown leather, and the blade hidden in a matching leather scabbard. Set into the shiny metal of the crossguard was a single piece of faceted amber that glistened in the dim light. He paused, staring at the gift, giving a glance back at his parents before picking up the sword as if it were a precious artifact. Slumping back onto his haunches, he handled the weapon with care, turning it this way and that to inspect it, then grasped the hilt in his teeth and slid the scabbard off with his paws.

The sword slid free with a soft rasp of metal on leather, revealing the beautifully crafted steel of the blade, swirled with the intricate and unmistakable Damascus pattern, making the blade appear as if it were made of water. As he stared in awe at the sword and turned it to examine it from all angles, the blade caught the light from the tiny window, glistening with a warm pale-orange hue. Holding the weight of the sword in his grasp felt surreal. It was like a final rite of passage, a physical symbol that his training had reached its end with Resin. She had promised to make him into her little knight and she had delivered on that promise. It was enough to bring tears back to the corner of his eyes, but the boy forced himself to hold them back. He would not cry on the one day he had with his family.

"Mom... it's beautiful...!" Artorias slid the sword back into its scabbard and slid it over his body, feeling the weight of it against his back. His heart surged with a cocktail of emotions: pride, love, and sorrow at the forefront. He had no idea if his parents had found this sword or had it forged, but either way, it was a gorgeous weapon and he would carry it with respect and dedication. He turned back toward Resin and Tamsyn, then hurried across the room to wrap up Resin in his forelegs, giving her a tight hug. "Thank you, Mom. It's perfect. I love you." Artorias reluctantly broke away from Resin to embrace Tamsyn in turn, giving her a nuzzle to the side of the neck. "Thank you, Mama! I love it. I love you too." The moment was bittersweet, knowing full well this would be the only birthday he got to share with both his mothers. Artorias was determined to make the most of it, if all he'd be left with after today were the memories and the sword.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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The contact with her was a wonderful, precious thing.  His tail did a slow swaying wag being sure to lock this precious memory in his mind.  Likewise locked in was her voice, the pitch the words, nothing could be forgotten.  Rudy backed up reluctantly as mom pushed them back.  The moment in time gone and once more seeing her as she was instead of his memories view.  Did he even want to remember her like this?  That was a thing to be torn on.  

Their birthday?  Rudy had remembered it at times when traveling in a sort of bitter fashion but certainly, it hadn’t been on his mind for the hear and now.  Mom had remembered it though.  Even with her memory, a mess, even with all the horrible things she was going through mom had thought of their birthday.

Rudy was in shock as she mentioned the presents and turned his attention to them.  Mom’s bracers?  While new ones would have been fine this was so much better.  Rudy would have something that had been mom’s to clutch onto.  The grey-motley wolf chastised himself for feeling so clutchy but how could he not with the current atmosphere?  

He made his way over to the bracers looking at them with rapt attention, only turning his gaze away to see Art get his sword.  A memory struck Rudy of them searching for a great stick in the woods that he could use for a sword.  They had been small, naïve and so happy back then. Shaking his head he put a paw on the bracers, just touching it for a moment.  With a deep inhale of breath to collect himself the boy put on the bracers before turning to look at his mom.

Rudy took a few steps nearer but didn’t move in for a hug this time, he’d let Art have his moment first.  “So, what do you think?  They feel great.” The boy managed to sound chipper even as his heartfelt heavy, Rudy was good at fake cheer after all.  He gave Art to a count of ten before Rudy went over to push his own muzzle into mom’s cheek, gently just rubbing his forehead against her.

Rudyard Carpathius