Location: Lazuli Falls

They had left the Grapevine Cathedral and headed into the forests surrounding the falls, her paws following along a steady stream once they crossed paths with it. She may have been caught looking back at Artorias, because he certainly was having her full divided attention. The last time she had met a stranger, though Artorias was barely a stranger, they had blown off her attempts to get them to notice her. Well, in ways that made her feel good and beautiful. Artorias hadn't hinted a thought of rejecting her, or at least from what she could see. It may have been completely different had she chosen to to get physical with him.

They made it to the pool of water surrounding the falls, the water crystallized and almost glittering while the raindrops hit the surface in ripples. The water was not as clear as it would be on a sunny day, the constant mixture and moving from the rain caused it's components to swirl around and haze the inside of the pool. Duchess looked down at her almost unrecognizable reflection in the disturbed surface. She felt like her heart and her breathing stopped for a moment, like she wasn't here with Artorias. It was Segin, and it was Indigo. She would force this to be different.

Drowning away the memories in a make believe inhale, she stepped forward into the waters and turned to the large blue brute who followed her all the way here. "It's just this way if you don't mind a swim." She teased him, silly while they were already wet from the rain. "You'll just have to come and get wet with me."

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Large, heavy paws squished through the damp grass while the two wolves wandered through the thicket of forests just beyond the grapevines, headed in the direction of the sound of rushing water. Artorias followed close beside Duchess for the duration of their walk, taking in the sights along the way. Every so often he would catch Duchess stealing glances back at him and he would give her little smiles back in return, letting her know he was still there beside her. A part of his heart went out to Duchess; she clearly had some problems around abandonment and being alone if she kept needing to validate that he was there with her. Well, she had his undivided attention in turn; she was his primary focus for their time together, and his eyes would occasionally enjoy a roam over her when she wasn't looking.

When they emerged from the woods at the falls, Artorias took in the large pool of water that let out into a stream flowing southbound. He'd been here only very briefly with his sister when they'd explored the cave behind the falls, but he'd been distracted then, and hadn't given the land much attention. Despite the dreary gray day, the waterfalls were still pretty, although the pool of water was more a pallid flat tone than it would have been in sunlight. Artorias followed Duchess to the edge of the water, peering down into it before glancing around and up the falls once more. Auster really was a beautiful place when you took the time to really appreciate it. Art glanced over at Duchess again, seeing her staring hard at her own reflection in the water, an almost painfully pensive expression on her face.

Artorias' brow pulled together, but before he could ask her if she was all right, Duchess was stepping forward into the water. She turned to him and instantly his features brightened again. She teased him as she led him further, informing him that he'd have to get wet with her to find her little hideaway. A roguish grin flashed over the young yet massive brute's face while he chuckled in husky baritones. "That's never been a problem for me before," he remarked, perhaps more flirtatious than he meant to, and followed her in. Given that they were both already damp from the sprinkling rain, a little dip didn't put him off at all. Hell, he loved the water and would've followed her in anyway! The large obsidian and azure brute stepped through the water after her, able to remain standing long after the water would reach Duchess' belly. He didn't know how far in they'd have to go or where she was taking him, but he was fully along for the ride now.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

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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Artorias followed in after her without hesitation, Duchess' paws came off the ground in the pool under her as she gently stroked backwards towards the falls. Swimming definitely seemed to be one of her stronger attributes. In a half lidded gaze she smiled slightly at him as kept up with her. Her body rolled around under the surface of the water as they approached the falls. She felt like she had to drag her gaze off of him, the tension in her own body begging her to give into him once they fell through the crashing water.

Without dipping her head under the surface, she swam directly to the back of the falls revealing a cavern beyond what they could see. Out of the rain, the water was calmer here though drifted in waves from the streaming water from above. She waited until she made it up on the stone surface of the dark cavern to shake off and look back to the brute wondering if he was still following suit. She would be wildly disappointed to find out if he had taken leave.

She didn't speak as they entered the cave, even if the brute noted their surroundings more. Or maybe he was again thinking of how secluded the area was as she had suggested. Her eyes trailed downwards along his chest and paws before moving forward again towards the farther reaches of the cave. She stopped before the drip stones, glancing behind her as an invitation for the brute's attention. "The stalagmites..." She started gently like her intentions were not driving in the directions she craved, "They're sweet like sugar." Then she reached her muzzle up to the stones, just the tip of her tongue poking out under the spike while the split under her nose gently brushed across the surface, covering her lips and entire mouth in the candied water. In her last effort's, her paw raised up to want to hook around a giant foreleg so she could tilt him closer to her, she reached up to want to reach his muzzle with her own, and in turn allow him to taste the sweet stalagmites.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

It was quite humorous to Artorias to watch Duchess paddling about while his own long legs were still touching the soft silty floor of the pool. Eventually, he waded deep enough that he had to swim after her, using smooth strong strokes of his powerful body to keep after her, moving almost like he were born for the water. Swimming had always been one of his favorite activities and it showed in his practiced movements. Artorias followed Duchess behind the falls, the water cascading over his head and drenching him for a moment before he emerged in the hidden grotto behind the falls. Powerful forelimbs hoisted himself out of the calmer waters and he shook himself mostly dry with vigorous shimmies and shakes of his form. He saw Duchess' half-lidded gaze and smile while she led him into the secret cave, following behind her with curiosity in his eyes.

Once more, Artorias was struck by the sheer seclusion the cave offered. Other than the gentle whooshing of the waterfall behind them and their own breathing, it was totally silent. He'd been to the sugar caves here with Bowen before, and he wondered if this cave held the same properties that one did. As if she were reading his mind, Duchess brought his attention to the point stalagmites rising from the cavern floor, explaining how they were sweet like sugar. Artorias watched with rapt attention while Duchess then leaned in to run her tongue and mouth over the tapered tip of the stalagmite, his breathing catching and eyes widening while he observed the suggestive display. For a brief moment, Artorias wondered if perhaps he'd given Duchess far too much benefit of the doubt, until his mind was wiped blank by the little purple fae hooking her foreleg around his to bring him down to her and guide his muzzle to her own.

Artorias gave a muffled sound of surprise when Duchess' mouth claimed his. Gold-flecked eyes went huge with shock and his whole body tensed like he'd been electrocuted, but the young brute was too stunned to do anything. Not pull away, not resist, not try to stop her. His mind was still reeling with trying to grasp that this wolf he'd met only a few hours ago was allowing him to taste the sugary sweet water on her lips—along with her own flavor. A tension grew in his belly, an instinctive and natural reaction to the sultry fae's advances, but in the back of his mind he knew he should have been resisting. He should have been calling her name to get her to stop. He should have been letting Duchess down as gently as he could, but he was too shellshocked to do much else besides let her guide his mouth against hers, his body responding instinctively to her.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

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.
____________________

Duchess pulled back slightly as his stance went still but he didn’t fully resist her. She still wanted to keep him close, her paw still tugged at his strong foreleg in response to let him know she was not finished with him yet. A soft and lustful glare when her eyes met his emotion of shock but she didn’t think he could have been so oblivious to her actions. In first greeting maybe, but up until this point Duchess believed she told him just what she wanted without speaking. And to her, if he hadn’t seen it it was because he ignored that same fire. The scent or thought of a woman on him meant nothing to her, not in the wake of her desires with the more attention he gave her. Had he set his own trap? Probably not. But Duchess only knew of the one thing she wanted.

The silence around them, it was the way it was meant to be. Their movements together she predicted, only their primal noises, it set her ablaze to fantasize what he felt and sounded like. This was actually not for her own pleasure, it was for his. For him wanting her was beyond anything she could imagine was fulfilling.

Without asking him if he wanted to continue on, she drove forward again desiring a deeper kiss and hoping he would relax into her in return. Both of her paws carefully moved upwards to caress along his chest and shoulders. She wanted to help him give into her.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Artorias was caught between the nagging voice in the back of his mind and that instinctual desire of a young virile brute wanting to take full advantage of the willing nubile fae coming on to him hot and heavy. With her mouth against his, the signs she'd been giving him became much more understandable to him. What he'd been dismissing as simply her behavior or being outwardly friendly turned out to be much more salacious desires on her behalf. He felt a flush of warmth cross his cheeks when he realized how silly he'd been, but it was far too late for that now. Duchess showed no hesitation in her advances, and the azure brute was left wondering what it was about him that had captured her attention, from the maze of bamboo all the way to now. How long had she been planning this? Desiring this?

The only sound in the quiet cave was their heavier breathing while they kissed, the undertones of white noise from the waterfall in the distance barely noted above their own primal sounds now. Duchess pressed deeper into him, and then Artorias tasted Duchess' tongue against his own. Fire burst in his belly and that familiar tension grew stronger. Duchess' petite paws slid languidly up around his chest and shoulders, coaxing him into her, begging him to give in to her desires. Artorias groaned quietly into her mouth, his tongue dipping into her maw while his body pressed closer into hers while he slid to his belly so their muzzles didn't break apart with their size difference. He wanted to tell her to wait, to tell her he couldn't, but his mouth was a bit occupied and his body refused to push her away. Fiery eyes screwed shut while he grappled with himself, all while unwittingly giving Duchess exactly what she wanted from him.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

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.
____________________

If he was having doubts, Duchess didn't see it. But she didn't want to anyway. He wasn't rejecting her thus far and she wouldn't have even considered that he would back down from her advances now. There was still time for Artorias to turn back if he chose to, but Duchess was really completely at his mercy whether he knew it or not. He didn't know anything of the mental state she was in or why, only noticing her tension at the mention of the band in the beginning of their encounter. There was no way for him to know what had happened to her, or the trail of men she was forming along her path.

Without wanting to break their muzzles and tongues, she carefully moved to his side after he laid down, A paw raising still to his shoulder hoping that when she laid down beside him he would roll over onto his side. With her own shoulder against the stone, her forelegs went to wrap around his neck as she continued the deep kisses she desired and he gave her. Hidden in the back of her mind were the memories of her early days with Indigo, but she wouldn't unearth the thoughts here with Artorias. Only if he had rolled on his side like she expected him to, she would want to lock her back legs around the more sensitive areas of his belly and ribs. She very reluctantly pulled her mouth from his but didn't go far, lingering as if she could steal his lips again had she not opened her mouth. Her eyes fluttered up at his face with a paw gently driving down the line of his strong shoulder, "Am I tempting you?" She asked in a huffed breath, thinking that she already had the confirmation but wanted to hear it. Artorais couldn't know the fragile cargo he was holding. "Do you want me?"

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

As soon as he collapsed to the ground, Duchess was moving closer to him, sidling up along his side. Artorias felt one of her dainty paw slide up to his shoulder, applying gentle yet insistent pressure to urge him onto his side. The larger brute flopped to his side, his mouth still connected to hers in the deep kisses she refused to relinquish. Duchess' slender forelegs slipped up to wrap around his thickly corded neck, holding herself close to him and preventing him from pulling back. With him positioned on his side, he felt Duchess' body press up to his with her hind legs locking around his sensitive belly, just beneath his ribs. She was so small and slender, he was afraid of hurting her if he pushed her away too aggressively. But he had to stop. He couldn't allow Duchess to do these sorts of things with him, and she was approaching some very dangerous territory, and getting very close to certain parts of him she shouldn't have been.

Duchess' mouth left his and Artorias took a short gasp of breath, fire-kissed eyes blinking in rapid succession as he regained control of his faculties. Their muzzles hadn't parted more than an inch or two, and he could still feel her warm breath on his lips when she spoke in heavy breaths. Large azure paws came up to rest on Duchess' sides, just above her waist, though it couldn't be told whether he was holding her to him or keeping her at bay just yet. Those duo-toned eyes fluttered for him, pawing at his broad shoulders and chest while she asked if he wanted her. "Yes, you do," he began, his own voice husky with his shortened breath as well from having her tongue in his mouth, "and yes, I do." Gods, did she tempt him... But there was a pause, a hesitation. "But I can't, Duchess. I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you."

Briar and Bowen flashed in his mind. He couldn't betray their trust, and he didn't want to hurt Duchess by letting her do something they'd all end up regretting. Still, he couldn't force her off of him. She was such a small thing, what if he hurt her accidentally? He was significantly larger than her, keeping her held back shouldn't be difficult. But he didn't want to risk causing any harm to her either, no matter how suddenly their interactions had shifted.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

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.
____________________

A smile that may or may not have been seen through their closeness grew across her lips as he agreed through his voice. It was exactly what she wanted. It may have been clear just how desperate she was on the turn of a dime, her subtle flirts and cues switched right over to physical desires in only a moment. Though she was not open to why she wanted him so badly.

Her smile faded slowly as he told her he couldn’t, but she didn’t move away from the grasp she held around him. He still didn’t reject her physically, so she wasn’t so quick to jump up and leave. Her eyes had wandered off his face, a true disappointment seen through her but it was much more than that. Though maybe knowing she was tempting to him was enough for her.  

Her paw moved to fiddle and brush through hair on his chest, it was a normal habit for her being so close to someone with their fur in her claws. "There’s nothing you could do that will hurt me." She insisted through a voice of experience. Physically or leaving her behind and forgetting bedding with her entirely. But no, the statement was wrong because when she was rejected, she didn’t feel beautiful or desirable and that’s what hurt her. But it felt different with Artorias as she surrounded him, the lingering taste of him still in her. Her gaze carefully shifted back to his face and lips, "Can we stay, just like this?" Her tone was quiet as her muzzle went to move into his again. Maybe it was all she needed, because unknown to him she struggled tremendously with her emotional state after the deed, and if he was willing to stay here and kiss her she supposed it was worth trying something different.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

The disappointment that crossed Duchess' face was palpable, and for a brief moment, Artorias worried that she might have a volatile response to him turning down her advances. He'd told her the truth when she asked her questions; had he not been committed to another, he surely would have had the lovely purple fae then and there in the seclusion of the cave. But he didn't have those liberties, and he couldn't give in to her without the guilt following. Fortunately though, she didn't pull away from him. Though her smile faded some, Duchess continued to cling to him and he held her, neither pushing the other away or moving to detach from one another just yet. Her diminutive paws played with the fur on his chest, a lovely little sensation he found was quite enjoyable and it almost made it worse that he had to deny her physical affections so vehemently.

Duchess claimed there was nothing he could do to hurt her, and in a way, that was almost a worse answer. It meant she was either so hurt by the rest of the world, or she was so numbed to the pain already. Artorias' heart ached for the small fae who was in some sort of emotional distress. After some moments of silence, she gazed back up at him and asked quietly if they could stay like this for a while longer. Artorias thought it over for a moment. On the one hand, he had refused Duchess' advances and probably should again, but on the other, he was facing an emotionally vulnerable wolf who needed help. While he might not have the cure for her, he could at least ease her. He thought about his duties as Aegis, how he had vowed to protect and help those in need. He couldn't sate all of Duchess' needs, but he could help her, at least a little bit.

"Yes, we can," he replied in a hushed voice. One giant azure paw moved to gently stroke Duchess' back, hoping to provide her a little bit of comfort and reassurance. "You are a beautiful wolf, Duchess. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She moved back in for another kiss and Artorias didn't refuse her. Their muzzles met in slow connection, letting her find small comforts with him. Neither wolf had unwound themselves from one another yet, but he didn't feel the need to since Duchess had shown no signs of pushing beyond when he'd told her to stop. He was just doing what he could to help an emotionally damaged soul while he could. Maybe it was useless and his efforts would ultimately be in vain, but at least he knew he hadn't just up and abandoned her when she came to him looking for aid.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

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.
____________________

She wouldn’t know about his want to fix what was broken, it was too big of a feat for only one encounter. But Artorias had made her feel just a little good about herself which were his intentions. He told her she was beautiful, but it also made her wonder why he was holding back. In her own experience she knew she wanted Indigo to herself but her outlooks had since changed. She had buried what she wanted and allowed the wrongs to be put in those places. If she was good, gave the men what they wanted, she wouldn’t be in the predicament she was in. She blinded herself to what she truly wanted, and gave in to what she thought made her feel better. She knew at heart it was not working but she still chose the harsher path.

She kept a slow steady kiss with him as they laid there, she probably would have pressed on again had he asked her to stop originally. As it was, she only desired his own pleasure through her and that’s what made her feel like a gem.

She still kept them connected without any signs of wanting to let him go, her breath becoming his when her lips parted to go in again. As she went to be a little more heated she went to pull his body with her forelegs around his neck just slightly over her own frame. It gave him the advantage to finally cut off at enough but that was not what she had in mind. Either way she moved her hips gently into what she could reach, just the belly near his ribs without continuing any further down as much as she wanted to. Her voice let out subtle and nearly silent moans from the tingling she felt moving against him, again fantasizing about him. But before it became to painfully obvious how bad she was blocking herself, she stopped with a long lingering pull from his lips. Her eyes still lustful as she gazed up at him, she turned around on the stone under her before slipping out back up to her feet. She almost wanted to throw him another flirtatious remark about his blue balls, but she didn’t. Instead moving towards the back of the cave to continue their exploring if that’s what he wanted to do.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Artorias could never have any idea just what sort of things were going on inside Duchess' mind. He would never know the depths of the trauma she had experienced and suffered through, never know the intensity of her pain and longing. He would never know about the string of men that had led her to this point—one of them ironically his own sociopathic adoptive brother—nor what she had done for them or to them to feel a bit of life. All he knew was that she was hurting, and this seemed to help. He wanted to help her, his innate drive to protect and shelter keeping him from tossing her aside and leaving, but he could not bring himself to push too far and betray Briar and Bowen, no matter how difficult Duchess made it. And by the gods, did she make it difficult! Feeling the svelte fae's soft lips against his own, her voluptuous body curling into his where she clung to him, it was having a natural effect on the young brute who'd just come of age. It was pleasurable, and he let her know as such with gentle rumbling growls of delight while they kissed.

While Artorias was still grappling with combating his body's urges with his heart and mind's loyalties, he felt the gentle pressure of Duchess' lips part his own, and then he tasted her once more. Low groans escaped the massive brute when her tongue slipped into his maw, kissing her back with that heated desire. Desire that she stoked in him. Desire that he could not give in to, no matter how hard she made it—amongst other parts of himself. Duchess pulled him with her forelegs, turning their bodies so he was now above her, with his larger frame bearing down on hers. It did give him significantly more control over their actions, but it also put him in the precarious position of not being able to move much either while Duchess pushed her hips into his belly, just above where she was starting to stir his desire into physical form. A shiver made his fur bristle, her moans into his mouth almost making his will unravel there and then. A large azure forepaw moved down to cup one of Duchess' shapely hips, tickling his claws against the skin where he held her while she moved and ground herself against him in a silent warning. A little lower and she'd find exactly what she was doing to him and put them both in hot water.

Fortunately, he didn't have to think about pushing her away, as Duchess stopped her teasing one blissful and painful moment later. Their mouths broke apart, a single silvery stand of saliva still connecting them while Artorias gasped for breath, meeting Duchess' heated, lustful stare with a pained expression of his own. Did she know what she was doing to him? She had to, right? Artorias watched with bewildered eyes while Duchess expertly extracted herself from beneath him, sliding gracefully away before shooting him a smirk and heading deeper into the cave system to explore. Artorias followed her movements with his eyes, knowing that he could leave now and he'd be free to return home, to forget Duchess and likely never see her again. But that wasn't what he did. Artorias instead stood back up, trying to ignore the physical effects Duchess had on his body while he followed after her, moving deeper into the back of the cave. He didn't know if the violet fae's intentions for him were more exploring or if she had more on her mind, but there was only one way to find out now.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

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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