Briar had finally gotten to lead Artorias back to the castle in a panic, though she did her best to hide it and keep her voice calm. Whatever happened on the plains had her entirely unnerved and even though she hadn't heard the voices to the extent that Artorias had and hadn't seen whatever the figure was that Artorias had seen, she had seen and experienced the effects of it—now more so than ever. Artorias's sightless gaze, the glow his usually amber eyes held... She didn't know what the mysterious forces had done to him, but it shook her like not much else could. She had taken Artorias to the infirmary first, finding Gwynevere so his sister could examine him and make sure there was nothing else wrong and see what could be done. The look that Gwynevere gave when she heard described what happened told her that the healer knew more than she was willing to say.

With the decision made that there was nothing that could be done in that moment, Briar carefully helped Artorias up to his room, guiding him up each stair quietly, hoping to avoid any extra attention for now. If she was feeling as frazzled and at her wits end as she was then she could hardly imagine how Artorias was feeling and right now all she wanted to do was make sure Artorias had the time and space to process what had happened. She lead him into his room, her tail resting against his shoulder and neck to act as a lead of sorts, and once she got him onto the bed she went back to close the door behind them. Coming back to lay down with him, she rested a paw on his cheek and her ears flicked back as she looked at his sightless, shimmering eyes again. "Do you want me to get anyone or tell anyone? Or do you just want to stay here for a while?" As much as she would have wanted to be alone with only him or maybe Lia if this sort of thing happened to her, she wanted to give Art the option.

"Briar Fatalis"

Artorias had never felt more broken and useless in his entire life than he felt at this time. As soon as Briar had come to his side after collapsing on the plains, the young brute had been afraid and lost. He hadn't realized how much he took his sight for granted until his world had become nothing more than flat blue no matter where he looked. No matter how many times he blinked or how hard he rubbed his eyes, the blue never faded. It was panic-inducing, and he could hear the worry in Briar's voice when she saw his condition for the first time. She'd guided him back to the castle, going slow and helping him every time he tripped or stumbled. Trying to walk and navigate the terrain without any vision was a daunting task, one that very nearly broke his spirits completely, but Briar helped him get through it and back into the sanctuary of the castle.

After a fruitless inspection by Gwyn, he'd followed Briar's lead back to his bedroom. It was easier to navigate the corridors and stairs with Briar's help than the rolling and uneven terrain of the plains, so by the time they got to his bedroom door, Briar's tail around his neck had become a welcome guide. All the while, the only thing Artorias could think about was how stupid and reckless he had been. Briar had begged him to go back home, to ignore all the creepy shit and to not be foolish. Look at him now... the alpha laid so low. How idiotic he had been to try to barter with a paranormal entity. He'd felt unprepared to lead the Hallows before—now that task felt impossible. How could a wolf who couldn't even walk a straight line lead a pack? Compared to his current state, Artorias had been more than capable to be an alpha and defend his family from whatever came. Now he was little more than a broken, crippled burden with nothing to redeem himself.

He climbed into his bed, listening to the quiet in the room. Without his sight, his other senses seemed to be amplified somehow. He could hear each subtle step Briar took back to the door, followed by the soft rasp of metal on metal as she closed it behind them and latched it shut. He lay in bed, staring into blue nothingness, listening to his heart race in his head. He heard Briar come back, then felt the bed sag as she climbed up to join him. Her scent hit his nose—she was close to him—and he felt her soft paw pads touch his cheek, the sudden sensation from nowhere making him jump slightly, though he settled quickly. The morose expression on his face deepened when Briar asked if he wanted her to get anyone, and the black and blue brute just shook his head.

"Just stay with me, please," he murmured, his voice low and husky in the quiet of the room. Reaching forward after a moment, Artorias brought a slow, exploratory paw out to find the edge of Briar's body. Once he'd felt her out, he slid his paw forward to wrap around her side, wanting nothing more than to hold her close and pretend that this was just a nightmare he would soon wake up from. He wanted to see her beautiful face. He wanted to tell her that he could see and everything was okay. Both of his wishes would go unanswered. "I should have listened to you..." Ears folded back to his head, glowing blue eyes staring unseeing at her from across the pillows while he beat himself down more than the entity had already done. Such an idiot... A cocky, reckless idiot...

"Artorias Carpathius"

The way her touch initially started him, even if he recovered quickly afterward, broke her heart. That was nothing compared to his simple, quiet request that she simply stay with him. Seeing him like this... it was almost more than she could take. "Of course I will," she replied just as softly, gently stroking his cheek with her paw. "I'm not going anywhere." As his paw reached out for her she shifted closer so that his foreleg could wrap around her side. If it wasn't for the unnatural glow that claimed his eyes she could almost believe that everything was fine, that they escaped whatever was out there and they had just made it back to his room to unwind from the unsettling events of it all. But no, as he looked toward her and yet not at her at all with his eyes that had completely lost the warm, amber fire she had loved and known for so long she knew that she couldn't ignore what was going on despite the deceiving quiet and peace of the room.

Briar's ears flicked back as he lamented about how he should have listened to her. She sighed and wrapped her forelegs around his neck, gently pulling his head into her chest so she could nuzzle the top of his head. "There's no reason to beat yourself up about it now," she told him softly, tenderly kissing one of his folded back ears. She had been upset with him rushing into a fight on his own when he went after Oxx, but that had been a different situation. There had been more of that situation in his own control than what they had encountered tonight. These otherworldly forces that they didn't understand... There was no promise that they wouldn't have done the same thing if they had turned and hightailed it out of there the second things started getting crazy. Or maybe he was right, maybe he should have listened to her and left when they had the chance instead of pushing things further with the spirits, but they could never know and she wasn't going to berate him about it with him in this state.

"Briar Fatalis"

Though he couldn't see the emotion in her face, Artorias could hear the pain in Briar's voice. He could picture her despondent expression on her beautiful face as she took in the severity and total finality of his condition. There was no cure for blindness. There was no remedy that would bring his sight back, and he'd lost it all for trying to do everything he could to keep her and his family safe. Talk about irony... the alpha who gave up his ability to protect his loved ones in the pursuit of trying to protect his loved ones.

He felt Briar shift closer to him and he took the opportunity to wind his foreleg around her side gladly, holding her as close as he could. Her presence alone helped calm him and made him feel safe, as did her reassuring words spoken softly in the silence. He couldn't see her, but he kept his eyes staring where he knew she was. He wanted to keep up the illusion of normalcy. It was all a lie, of course, but it kept Artorias from feeling like everything was falling down around him. Those eyes, that had once held the heat and warmth of a living fire, had now turned cold and glassy, unable to focus on her or anything, glowing with that odd pale blue glow.

Artorias heard Briar sigh, then felt her forelegs wrap around his neck and guide his head down until he felt the soft fur of her chest against his muzzle. He eagerly nuzzled into her, letting her comfort him and nuzzle his head while kissing one of his ears. She was so good to him... He didn't deserve her in the least—especially not now. Artorias' heart sank in his chest and broke as the thought passed through his mind. He was blind. He would never get to see Briar's radiant beauty again. He would never see her smile, never see the way her face lit up when he gave her a romantic gesture, never see the way she looked on their eventual wedding day. Darker thoughts crept into his mind. He'd never get to see their children. He'd never watch them grow up or see the wolves they became. He'd never get to see his own family grow and evolve as his siblings found partners and raised their own families. He'd never see his mother's face, so full of pride and love. He'd never see anything again...

Sniffling back terrified and heartbroken tears that had begun to form in the corners of his now cool-hued eyes, Artorias clung tighter to Briar, realizing he only had one course of action. The Hallows had no need for a blind Aegis. Briar deserved to have someone who could revel in her beauty, make her giggle when she caught them staring at her. He'd never be able to do that again... "I'm going to have to give up the pack," he murmured with stuttering breaths after a moment, the emotion and guilt tightening in his chest. "The Hallows needs someone strong and capable to lead it... I can't be that. Not anymore..." The young brute drew in a slow, shaky breath. Resin would be so disappointed in him if she could see him right now...

"Briar..." There was a moment of hesitation while he struggled to say what he needed to. "...you should find someone better for you than me... I know you love me, but I'm not going to be an alpha anymore. I'll never be the wolf you knew before. I'll be useless and a burden for the rest of my days. You shouldn't have to deal with that. You deserve someone who's a better fit for you than the crippled blind wolf... someone like how I was..."

"Artorias Carpathius"

When she felt Artorias squeeze her tighter and heard the quiet, muffled sniffles against her chest she hugged him tighter, tucking her head down over his as if she could block him away from everything that was going on and could make it all right again just by holding him. He was always thinking of others, always sacrificing of himself for others, and it felt like she was never able to do the same for him. All she was able to do was be there to pick up the pieces and help put him back together. She gently combed her claws through his scruff, trying to soothe him the best she could while her mind reeled and she started thinking ahead. She'd have to make a quick trip back home to tell her father her plans would have to be moved up so she could move right away to be here to help him. Maybe Bowen would be willing to be his guide until she was able to make the move, she'd have to talk to her tomorrow and make sure...

His voice interrupted her train of thought as he told her how he was going to have to give up being alpha, how he wasn't strong or capable enough anymore to lead it. Her ears flicked back with a frown and she wanted to deny that immediately and tell him that between the two of them they could make it work, but she knew that wasn't logical. She didn't think it was impossible for him to learn how to fight again without his sight and with some adapting she was confident he would be able to go back into many of his same routines, but it was fair at least to think that trying to lead a pack that way would be nearly impossible or at least very difficult. Before she could comment on that though he went on, shocking her as he told her how she needed to find someone else, making her brow furrow. In a weird way it almost made her angry that he would even insinuate that him becoming alpha or his strength or anything of that sort was the only reasons she was with him, that her loyalty to him would wane with this new condition and challenge.

She shifted to lift her head away from his, tracing her paws along the side of his neck so he would be able to feel what she was doing and where she was going to prevent herself from startling him again. Her paws went to his cheeks, gently lifting his head from her chest so that she could see his handsome face, her toes lightly tracing the light gray markings under his glowing, sightless eyes. "I don't care if you're going to alpha any more or not," she told him firmly, her voice still soft in the quiet of the room. "I don't care if I need to be your eyes and your guide for the rest of our days. I don't care how hard it's going to be. I'm not dealing with anything, I'm choosing this. I'm choosing you." Tears started to well up in her own eyes as she spoke, her voice thick with emotion.

"You'll always be the wolf I fell in love with. This hasn't changed anything about that. You're not useless, you're not a burden. We'll work together and find new ways for you to do things. I'm not just going to give up on you because things are hard." Her paw lightly traced along the side of his muzzle as she leaned toward him, carefully replacing her paw with her muzzle, still doing what she could to give him a better idea of where she was before she did something. It was going to take a lot of work from both of them, but she was willing to do it. No, she was insistent on it. Some supernatural power wasn't going to take the boy she loved away from her. She brushed the side of her muzzle against his, leaving affectionate kisses all across his face while her forelegs slipped back around his neck. Briar placed a kiss on his lips, whispering against them, "I love you. I'm not going to stop loving you and I'm not going to give up on you. I'm not going anywhere."

"Briar Fatalis"

Artorias tried to mentally and emotionally prepare himself to let Briar go, but even now, waiting for her to see the logic and reason in his words, it made him feel like his heart was unraveling like a ball of yarn. It hurt—it hurt so godsdamn much, but he had to do it. Briar was going to be an incredible wolf, an amazing leader and diplomat, a caring lover and a wonderful mother someday. How could he let himself drag her down with him? She deserved to bloom and grow, to see her full potential. As for himself, he would never see it. He would never see again. His potential had vanished along with his sight. This was the end for Artorias Carpathius, his future snuffed out with a single flash like a candle in the wind. Briar shifted her head, pulling back from him some, and Artorias wondered if this was it—his final moments with Briar. She was leaving him. His heart ached, trying to prepare to receive the pain of breaking.

But instead of pulling away, Briar instead slid her paws slowly up the side of his neck to cup his cheeks, her constant touch allowing him to feel and anticipate every motion without getting startled again. That would take some getting used to. He felt her shift his face up, then felt her breath against his lips. It was an odd sensation, but it told him that she was looking at him, no doubt looking into the cold eyes that had stolen the fire from them. Her gentle touches soothed him, reassured him, helped keep him grounded and calm. Then she spoke, and her beautiful lyrics told him what he never expected to hear. She didn't care what their lives would be like from now on. She was prepared to do whatever she needed to accommodate his disability. Artorias could hear the emotion choking her voice, and each sweet heartfelt word pulled more tears to the corners of his sightless eyes. After all this, despite all the struggle she was facing, Briar still chose him. She chose him because she loved him.

"Briar..." Artorias whispered, perhaps trying to interject, but he never got the chance. Briar kept going, refusing to give up on him or their love just because things had gotten harder. Those tears forming in the corners of his eyes fell down his cheeks. He didn't deserve her. He'd done nothing special to deserve such love and devotion from a wolf as incredible as Briar, yet she gave it to him all the same. He wouldn't be alone. Artorias would always have his Briar. He felt her move, then felt her lips replace her paw on his cheek, then across his face while her muzzle brushed against his. A little quivering sigh slipped from his lips, tilting his head to find her cheek with kisses of his own. He couldn't see her, but he could feel her, smell her, hear her. His mind filled in the blanks, creating a phantom Briar in his mind's eye for him to "see". His forelegs tightened around her side when hers wrapped around his neck once more, returning the kiss to her soft lips.

A little smile played on his lips when she whispered her love against them, his glowing blue eyes welling up with emotion. Artorias swallowed back the knot in his throat, then leaned closer to find her mouth with his once more, kissing Briar slowly and deeply, letting his actions speak the words his heart screamed. "I love you too, Briar," Artorias whispered against her lips once their kiss broke. "I will always love you, no matter how much of me breaks. I don't deserve you, but... I'm eternally grateful you're part of my life. I couldn't do this with anyone else." His paws flexed, gripping tighter to her and running his digits through her soft, well-groomed fur. He never wanted to let her go, as selfish as that sounded. No matter how difficult things got, he was invested in them 1000%. They would have some new challenges and tribulations to navigate together, but with Briar at his side, Artorias knew he at least stood a chance against this fucked up world.

"Artorias Carpathius"

Briar returned his kiss as he pressed his lips to hers, her eyes flickering closed as she savored the affection that spoke louder then words ever could. They had been through so much already in their short lives and there was so much more ahead of them and even with this new challenge she was looking forward to every moment of it. She wasn't without her own flaws and he had supported her through all of it and now she would do the same. As their kiss broke and she heard the words of love returned to her she knew she had made the right choice. It wasn't going to be easy, but she didn't want easy. She wanted him and whatever else the world would throw at them. A little smile pulled at her lips as his paws, feeling those familiar sparks of electricity dancing across her skin. Maybe he couldn't see her any more, but he still knew her body as if he wrote the map for it. Not a single thing had changed about how it felt to be in his embrace. Nothing had changed about how much she loved him—if anything this had proven that their love ran even deeper than even she had realized.

There was so many more reassurances that she could have said, so much many more confessions of love, but words felt inadequate. They didn't needs words or sight or anything else besides themselves for her to show him how much he meant to her. She pressed her lips to his again with his words of how much she meant to him fresh on her ears. She wanted to tell him how grateful she was to have him in her life as well and how much he had changed her for the better, but instead of saying it out loud she said it with the deep, passionate kiss while her forelegs wrapped around him and clung to him tightly, as if he might vanish if she ever let him go again. They would figure this out soon enough, but for now they both needed a reminder of the things that had and would never change. She took the lead, showering him with affections and love with a deep thankfulness for ever moment she shared with him. The otherworldly force that had stolen his sight very well could have taken him from her entirely and she could simply be grateful for the life she still had to live with him.

- fade -

"Briar Fatalis"

No more words were exchanged between them. They didn't need to be. Both young lovers let their actions speak the sentiments of their hearts and souls for one another, clinging to one another as if they might drift away if left untethered. Life had thrown so much at them thus far, and they were still only yearlings with so much more life ahead of them. Both Carpathius and Fatalis wolf had been forced to grow up far quicker than they should have by circumstance and fate, but it had also pushed them together so much more intensely than a mundane existence would have. Together they had proven through trial and tribulation that they would not be defeated, and together they could rise and overcome any challenge they faced. Briar was Artorias' rock, his foundation from which he found stability and measure in his chaotic life. She was his sanctuary, his safe harbor to find clear skies amidst roiling seas and raging hurricanes. She was his morning and his evening, his first and last thought, his beginning and his end. Artorias loved and needed Briar more than anything else in this world, especially now.

In the quiet of the night, in the privacy of his room with moonlight streaming through the curtains and windows, Artorias showed Briar how much he loved her. Though he couldn't see the expressions shift on her face when he touched her the way she liked, he heard her reactions and knew what was happening. He kissed her back with equal parts deep need and relentless fervor. Seeing or blind, he knew Briar's body like the back of his paw by now, and he was proving it while he held her, tasted her, loved her. Briar took the lead from him, and Artorias willingly gave it to her, following her invisible guidance and reveling in the affections she smothered him with. She drew soft gasps and low murrs from the young brute, his paws roaming over her back and gripping to her fur, savoring the feel of her familiar coat under his touch and her scent in his nose. Though he had not intended for any of this to happen, Artorias was simply thankful that he had survived his encounter with the demonic entity. With all the strangeness of the world, it would have been so easy for something to snatch him away or snuff out Briar's flame. Instead, they were both still here, still alive, still in love.

Artorias planned to make the most of what he still had for the rest of his life.

- sexy time fade -

"Artorias Carpathius"