Briar walked side by side with Artorias along the path that led from the castle down to the neighboring beach, her side gently brushing against his while she snuck little kisses and affections along the way. Watching him steadily recover and regain his mobility was the biggest relief she had ever felt and walking with him now down to the shore felt like a full circle moment. She snuck him out of the infirmary several more times in the days that followed their first excursion that had been cut short by his worried sister, but she had at least stuck to Gwynevere's rules enough to keep him within the courtyard or at the very least inside the walls that surrounded the castle. She was willing to push the boundaries to give Art a bit of the freedom he craved, but she wouldn't risk actually getting her head bitten off my the lead healer.

Today Gwynevere had finally given Artorias the all clear to move back to his room and begin slowly getting back to his usual routine - with the slowly heavily emphasized. Of course they had celebrated moving back into the privacy of his room right away, but after spending so much time inside they weren't going to miss the chance to get out and about even if it was just down the slope to the beach. It was later in the day now, the sun mostly set with just a faint glow of reds and purples from the horizon and the stars and moon steadily becoming more visible. She had been down to this beach before, but not at night.

As their paws reached the sand and she shifted her turquoise gaze away from Artorias her eyes went wide as she looked out at the ocean. All along the shore line the water was glowing and glimmering as the incoming darkness settled in and revealed the unique effect the beach possessed. "Wow...." she breathed as she walked over to where the waves were lapping at the shore, grinning as she let the water wash over her paws and watched as the green blue glow of it formed around her forelegs, her tail wagging happily as she looked back over her shoulder at Art with a wide grin.

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

The winter evening in Auster was mild and temperate as Artorias and Briar walked side by side down the worn dirt path that led from the Carpathian castle down to the beach, the two lovers' sides brushing with every step they took. Artorias would smile and hum happily whenever Briar snuck a sneaky kiss to his cheek on their walk, eagerly returning each one to her, or brushing his tail against her rump while they headed to the shore. After being bedridden on orders of Gwynevere (whoever thought to give her power over the Aegis in regards to medical matters had really done him dirty) it felt good to be out and about. His body had recovered much of its lost strength, and though it would take a little more time and exercise to be 100% recovered, Artorias felt significantly better than when he'd been dragged into he medical ward half frozen, dehydrated, and woozy from blood loss. That had been the closest he'd ever been to death, and he had no intentions of ever getting that close again.

After being discharged by Gwyn, Artorias couldn't wait to get up and move about the castle once more. Stairs proved to be slow going, but he managed and made it up to his room for some much needed private time with Briar. Afterwards though, he still had the craving to be outside and spend more time with his girlfriend, so they took a walk down to the beach. The sun was sinking below the western sea, covering the lands in a deep purple, indigo, and red sky as twilight took over. By the time their paws reached the shore, the sun had disappeared enough for the sand's mysterious qualities to show in full force.

Artorias glanced to Briar with a little smirk when she ogled the beach in awe of its mystical properties. He chuckled, then realized she'd never actually seen the Shimmering Shore except in the daylight. He saw it almost every night from his bedroom window, so he supposed he was a bit spoiled for the view—although adding Briar to it did indeed make it exponentially better. "Beautiful, isn't it?" he remarked, speaking of the sparkling shore, though his eyes never left Briar and his double entendre was evident. He watched as the beautiful princess walked down to the edges of the surf, letting the water wash over her paws. He smiled, just taking her in and basking in her presence. When Briar was with him, he felt complete. Already he was imagining all the evenings they'd get to take walks along this beach once she moved here permanently, toes in the sparkling sands, enjoying each other's company. It made his heart beat quicker, as did the glance she shot back at him.

Grinning back, Artorias closed the distance between them and came up alongside Briar so his blue paws joined hers in the shallow waves. He dipped his head to run his muzzle along the side of her neck in an affectionate nuzzle. "The backdrop suits you, Princess," he said, the deep love he felt for her evident in his voice and words. "One day, we'll be able to come here whenever you want. We can take all the walks on the beach and swim in the sea for as long as your heart desires." His tail gently wagged behind him as he placed a soft kiss behind Briar's ear, every so often brushing his tail against the back of Briar's thigh.

"Artorias Carpathius"

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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With his comment that clearly held a double meaning and the way his amber eyes were fixed onto her rather than the scenery, when she looked back at him her amazed grin quickly shifted into a sly smirk with a chuckle, the way he looked at her making her heart skip. She leaned into him lightly as he came up beside her and nuzzled the side of her neck, making her hum happily as her attention was quickly pulled away from their beautiful, picturesque landscape and was fully directed back toward her boyfriend. He made her grin like no one else and made her feel like the most beautiful wolf alive when he showered her with these affections and spoke these sweet words. There were countless reasons why she loved him the way she did, but with each day they spent together and the more he proved how well he treated her and would continue to treat her the more she was sure of the decision she had made to be with him through everything.

She chuckled when he insisted that the backdrop for their evening on the beach suited her, a wider grin pulling across her lips as he spoke of their future and how they could come here whenever they wanted once she was living here permanently. It sounded like the kind of thing someone would say to convince her to stay, but there was no convincing needed. She wanted to be here with him so badly that it felt like she was counting the days until she could finally be free to join him. When she wasn't she didn't feel complete and every time they had to part ways again it was torture. She murred as he kissed her ear, her tail brushing along the back of his thigh as well and entwining her tail with his. "I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to that," she promised, turning her head to leave a little teasing trail of kisses along his jaw.

Standing on this beautiful beach, sharing teasing little affections and loving words with the boy that she cared for more than anything else, feeling the waves lapping across her paws, a dazzling glow glimmering like magic around them... She was pretty sure she had been transported to heaven. She knew she'd have to go back to Armada sooner or later, at least for a while, but without Artorias it didn't feel like home any more. Her home was wherever he was and since his place was here leading the Hallows then her place was here with him. He was slowly making her feel like she really could be a queen beside him as he ruled even though she still wasn't certain what that would look like. He had put her onto the path of rebuilding her confidence and she had him to think for what she was now.

Her kisses trailed from his jaw to his neck and very quickly it was becoming obvious that the time they had spent holed up in his room this morning hadn't been nearly enough to satisfy the pent up desire from the endless days they had spent together in the infirmary while he recovered. Even just little kisses and affections was enough to make her lean into him more and make that warmth spread in her belly. She hummed and nuzzled into his neck, his familiar scent filling her nose and mixing with the bright saltiness on the air from the ocean. She brought her gaze back to his, looking at him with a sly grin. "If you want to go lay on your back I can show you what else we can do whenever we want after I move here," she said with a chuckle.

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

Low rumbles of delight emitted within Artorias' chest when he felt the silky fur of Briar's tail brush along his thigh in return, then entwine with his tail while they stood together on the beach, watching the last fading rays of sunlight bathe the world in the somber hour of twilight. Briar said she couldn't say how much she was looking forward to that, and Artorias echoed that sentiment. "You and me both, Briar," he said, his words trailing off into quiet murmurs as she graced the edge of his jaw with little affectionate kisses. He was quiet for a while after that, content to just bask in this moment with the wolf he loved with all his heart. The sky was a canvas of the rich and deep colors of evening, stars beginning to twinkle in the sky just as the sand did below their paws. The moon hung in the sky above them, replacing the warm rays of the sun with an ethereal silver veil cast over everything. Everything was serene and felt right... this magical moment of peace more than he could ever have asked for. But it was Briar at his side that made the moment all the more special.

Artorias turned his gaze to her again, the hues of sunset in his eyes shining and smoldering with the love he felt for her. He knew she would need to return home soon, get back to her family to make sure they made it through the winter all right. But a part of him wanted to ask her to stay. She was his, and he never wanted to let her go. He wanted her to stay in the Hallows with him, to be with him as he stepped into the role of Aegis, to make the castle her home and be a permanent fixture in his life. He knew it was only a matter of time for that to come to pass, but he was stubborn and impatient. When she was away, he didn't feel whole. He worried for her, hated being so far apart. He knew if he asked her to, she would remain with him, forsake her family and her pack to stay with him. And it was because of that dedication that he couldn't ask what he desired. He couldn't put her in that position when he knew she so willingly would. No, they would have to be patient, no matter how much it hurt.

It was only once Briar's kisses began to move from his jaw down his neck and throat did he realize that the relief they'd shared this morning hadn't been enough for Briar. The smile on his face slowly grew into a provocative grin as Briar ignited the heat deep in his belly once more, the warmth and tension spreading throughout his body. Her lips on his throat pulled low murrs and soft gasps from him while she expertly worked erogenous zones she knew by heart at this point. He had thought they'd both been satisfied from earlier, but it turned out that neither young wolf had fully sated their lusts just yet. He tipped his head to grant Briar easier access to his neck, a sign of his deep trust and a silent plea for her to keep going. The young fae didn't disappoint, kissing and nuzzling into his neck while she drank in his scent, allowing Artorias to nuzzle his snout across her crown and take in the familiarness of her natural feminine scent, perfumed with sweet vanilla florals.

Her smell coupled with her warm body leaning into his and all the wonderful things she was doing with her lips on his neck were making Artorias' pulse quicken, the tension in his belly growing, affecting other parts of him as well. Briar pulled back and Artorias met her salacious teal eyes and inviting grin with a heated look of his own, his breathing hitched and shallow. Her words made his ears stand and eyes widen with surprised delight. "It would be my pleasure, my queen," he remarked in that husky tone his voice took whenever passion and lust were at play.

Artorias separated from Briar just enough for him to step out of the edge of the waves and laid himself down on the sparkling sand, rolling over onto his back as she commanded to present himself to her. The sand that got stuck in his dark fur almost made it look like he was shimmering as well as he lay there, gazing up at her with burning love and lust in his flame-kissed eyes and his body on display for her appraisal. He gave her an inviting grin while he watched her, paws curling to his chest and tail giving a subtle wag, eagerly waiting to see what his future queen had in mind for him tonight.

"Artorias Carpathius"

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.
____________________

It didn't really matter how little or subtle his reactions were - she loved every one of them and every single moment of being with him like this. Everything from how he tipped his head back so she could have better access to his throat to the grin he wore as she started leading them toward more lust forward thoughts just made her want to make him react like that more. She grinned and chuckled at the look of surprise and delight at her suggestion that he get on his back and her tail wagged while he shifted away to do just that. She followed him away from the lapping waves and waited for him to roll into position, the lingering glimmer of the sand they were standing stood out on his dark coat where it stuck to him and it made her giggle softly while her turquoise gaze drifted down from his fiery amber gaze, along his chest and toned stomach.

They had both grown up a lot in the last few seasons, their softer adolescent forms steadily melting away and filling out in other ways. She knew there was still a little over a season and a half till their second birthdays and before they would be "fully grown", but even now she couldn't keep her eyes off of this handsome wolf she got to call hers. He had always been handsome to her, but he just continued to get more and more attractive as time went on. She stepped over him and looked down into his eyes with a grin, her gaze shining with lust and love and desire and all of the things that were so hard to put into words, but could be so perfectly said with actions. She dipped her head down to press her lips to his while she settled her slender form over top of his, every inch where their fur mingled and skin touched feeling like electricity. She murred into the kiss, her eyes flickering closed, and for a little while she laid like that with her body stretched out over his and wrapping her forelegs around the back of his neck while they made out.

Eventually she let her lips break away from his with a soft gasp, blinking open heavily lidded eyes to look down at him again with a smirk as she sat up a little bit, her paws following the curve of his shoulders and chest as she shifted and sat up enough to be able to take him all in again, memorizing every little detail of him and this moment. It felt like she was constantly preparing herself with memories to hold her over until the next time she got to be with him again and she couldn't wait to not have to live like this any more. She couldn't wait to live with him and be able to see him like this whenever her heart desired. She pressed back into him with another gasp, her paws on his chest to hold herself steady, her claws pricking at his chest. She got lost in the perfection of everything he was and the fantastic pleasure of this moment, feeling like queen he would one day make her as she gave him a taste of what their lives together would be like.

- fade -

"Briar Zeitgeist Fatalis"

It didn't take much effort on Briar's part to get Artorias riled up and eager to do anything she asked of him. It was why she was one of only two wolves that could ever tell him to lie on his back and expect to get him belly up. Briar held sway over his body, heart, mind, and soul. He would have done anything for her just to get her to look at him the way she was right now, eclipsing the fading twilight sun that cast a burning halo of light around her frame in its last moments. The look of desire and lust for him on her visage sent a yearning shiver throughout his body, loving the way she grinned at him while hungry turquoise eyes roamed down over his form like she were devouring him with her gaze.

As Briar stepped over his prone form, surrounding him with her own body, Artorias took the liberty of returning the excited glances down over her, drinking her in with thirsting amber eyes. She had always been beautiful for him, but as the two wolves grew up together, they had gotten to see the other evolve into the wolves they were meant to become. In the few weeks it had been since he'd seen her last, Briar's form had begun to slim and tone noticeably, especially around her midsection, her hips growing more curvy and voluptuous as they neared full maturity in less than half a year. His beloved fae grew sexier and more womanly by the day, truly filling out into a stunning young woman with the prime genes she'd inherited.

Artorias held Briar's gaze with the same smoldering lust and endless love burning in his fire-hued eyes, grinning up at her as he took in her radiance, her beauty, her perfection. He was the luckiest brute alive to call this beautiful wolf his. Mine... The thought passed through his mind seconds before she brought her muzzle down to connect with his, murring beneath his breath while he kissed her back, eagerly receiving her slender body on top of his toned form. Artorias brought blue paws up to wrap around Briar's sides, running his paws slowly up and down along her back and her sides, following the natural dips and curves of her female frame. Her warmth and weight over top of him ignited the fire within him that never stopped burning for her, eyes drifting closed while he savored the feel of her lips, the taste of her tongue on his, her quiet sounds of delight while they made out on the beach for a long blissful moment, holding tight to her all the while.

When Briar did eventually break their kiss, Artorias took a soft gasp for air as well, blinking open half-lidded eyes to gaze with nothing short of pure adoration for the princess in his arms. Briar smirked and began to shift, Artorias letting his forelegs unwind from around her to allow her to sit up on top of him. He gazed up at her with curious eyes and a sly grin, but his curiosity was quickly dispelled when he felt Briar push her hips back into his. Artorias uttered a soft gasp from the contact of her intimate flesh against him, his paws moving to rest on her thighs while hers pressed to his broad chest and feline claws prickling at his skin so delightfully. Pleasure, warmth, and love washed over him as Briar found her rhythm on top of him, their bodies moving together on the evening shore. All the while, Artorias watched Briar on top of him, soaking in the moment to memory to keep with him when she inevitably had to leave him once more. While he longed for the days when she would never have to go away again, he refused to let that somber reality ruin this moment, and so Artorias let himself get lost with Briar in the intimate pleasure she was giving him, drinking in the sights, sounds, sensations of Briar. His Briar, his future queen, giving him a taste of what their lives would be like for the rest of eternity one day soon.

- fade -

"Artorias Carpathius"

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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