It was always an exciting day when the opportunity for adventure arose. The more she found herself exploring outside castle grounds, the more she felt the call of the wanderlust in her soul. It was beginning to become an insatiable desire. And as much as she loved spending time with her mother and father ... they had the castle to run, and there was a small part of her that felt guilty about constantly demanding their attention away. So with their permission of course, she had approached Mercury with an invitation to her daily escapade.

As soon as they cleared the ridge leaving the castle boundary behind them, she couldn't help but come to a halt where she stood. Her jaw parting as her crystal blue eyes blinked in astonishment. There was new growth all over the place with spring in full force. But this place ... it was special. She thought the castle gardens were pretty, but seeing this expanse of territory ... well, it made her think of a giant living bouquet that covered the entire meadow. However, it wasn't manicured like the greenhouse. It was unbridled. Unkempt. Wild. Beautiful. "Mercury ..." She started, an unnecessary hush to her tone. "What is this place?" She asked with genuine curiosity.

The Vanguard was honoured to escort the young Carpathius from the Castle. Part of his duties was the welfare of Artorias and his family. Ensuring their safety, and curiosity was satisfied fell well within that. With his two foxes on either side of them, Mercury and Talyssa made their way to the large garden expanse not far from the castle.

He stopped when Tally did, pausing and glancing over at her as surprise overcame her expression. He found himself grinning, and looking about himself again. Trying to see the world as she did. Someone so knew to it, that every day could be a wonder. An exploration of something new.

“This is called the God’s Garden. By my reckoning, I would say a pack once attempted to make this entire plain a garden, and what we are seeing now is generations of wildness and nature taking over” He explained.


"Mercury"

God's Garden. Talyssa couldn't imagine a better fitting name. As Mercury went on to tell the story of the likely origin of this tucked-away paradise, she listened intently. Her pale gaze panned from one side of the meadow to the other. The idea that nature was reclaiming this space- making it wild again, was a very poetic thought. To say that she loved it, would have been an understatement. "It's beautiful," the girl echoed his explanation softly.  "I think I might like it better than the castle gardens." Yes, the manicured and decorated yards around their home had their own sense of beauty. But she felt deep in her heart this was the way things were meant to be.  "I wonder what the first ones wanted it to look like ... and if they would like what it became." She mused out loud, not really expecting an answer.

Mercury grinned, moving further into the wild garden. There was so much colour and scent here. The sound of buzzing creatures. Mostly from bees, but there were plenty of other specimens to find among the flowers. He found a little blue flower, and cut it cleanly free. He tucked it behind the pup's ear as she explained how she preferred this place to the gardens of home. “There is something strange and wonderful about things that are free” he agreed.

“I imagine they wanted something more contained then this. But you can’t fault nature for reclaiming what belongs to them. Come on, let's head this way.” he said, indicating a hodgepodge path between some vines.


"Mercury"

Talyssa held still as Mercury placed the little flower behind her ear. He seemed to agree with her, acknowledging that he too thought this place was as wonderful and wild as she did. When he gestured they explore down one of the paths dividing the unkempt flowerbeds, she was all too eager to comply. The happy trilling of insects weaving in and out of the natural bouquet added a different sense of life to the ambiance. To the young girl, this might as well have been heaven. Working her way down the lopsided rows, the more she saw, the deeper in love she fell. "Thank you for bringing me here, Merc." She said softly, hueless gaze searching out her escort with genuine appreciation.