The Threat and Feel of War
Ardyn was in the Cavern of Reflection, immersed in her training. She had quickly learned focus, and her body had strengthened considerably, yet sometimes, she didn't even feel like herself anymore. She felt alien.
Magic flowed through her veins, a warm, demanding energy she could sense and direct with her will. And it was horrifying. She grew up believing magic was both evil and dangerous, something that could never truly be controlled. Now, she was magic. The terror was a cold, sharp thing, a blade of ice against the powerful warmth of the energy. She fought the urge to recoil, pushing back the ingrained disgust of a lifetime, reminding herself that Varric's magic was protection, binding, and love. If she was his, her magic must also serve that purpose. The raw, kinetic energy was trying to burst free, an uncontrollable urge, and she feared if she let it go, she would detonate everything she was beginning to hold dear.
She opened her eyes and the amethyst irises sparked and glowed with wild kinetic energy.
Elsa frowned and stepped forward, ready to protect Ardyn if needed. "Control, girl! Stop fooling yourself into believing you have no control. CONTROL IT NOW!"
Power, heavy and ancient, rolled from Elsa and surrounded Ardyn like a thick, comforting blanket of iron will. Ardyn bit her lip in concentration, beads of sweat rolled down her face and dropped into the shallow water below. She let out a primal scream, a sound of struggle and release, and amethyst light bulged from her eyes only to be quickly pulled back in. Her eyes calmed to cool liquid pools of soft lilac.
And before Ardyn a huge lilac flower appeared, hanging suspended in the humid air, before it quickly opened up into a vibrant deep purple hibiscus.
Elsa's wall of magic dropped and flowed back into her. She nodded in prideful approval. "Very good, my girl. Very good." She turned abruptly to the entrance of the cave. "Come!" Her annoyance rang deep in the one word.
A small serpent beast-kin emerged and bowed deeply. "Mistress Elsa. You are needed in the war room."
Ardyn looked up with a frown, the hibiscus before her shattered into tiny sparks of purple light. She had been hearing of war, even asking both her teacher and Varric about it—only to be re-directed or to be told it was of no importance. The abrupt reality of the summons sent a chill down her spine.
Elsa nodded. "Fine, I am on my way." The messenger nodded and was gone. "Ardyn, practice. I will be back soon."
"But Teacher. I am part of this community now. I want to help."
"Sorry—one: you aren't ready, and two: Varric will not allow it." And she was gone. Ardyn stood there with her lips pursed, ready to go out and help even if she didn't have permission.
"Don't even think about it! I SAID PRACTICE!" The shallow water beneath her trembled, and rock dust fell from the high ceiling above.
Ardyn smirked, recognizing the deep power in the command, but she restarted her practice. She would show them she was a vital part of this community. She would show them that she could be a help.
Varric's eyes were focused on the 3D map projected before him. The swamps to the east of his lands seemed to writhe with motion, and he could feel the low thrum of aggressive magic emanating from the Cobra Clan. His eyes were intent on this motion, but his mind was elsewhere.
Ever since Ardyn reached out to him, he had actively grown the link between them, brushing thoughts to her, seeking her out, and watching her through the link, helping her learn how to quickly and easily respond to him. He smiled as he thought of her voice gliding through his mind and then his being.
Elsa entered the room, a smile blooming across her face as her eyes found him. Her thoughts drifted to him, and he almost slumped in his seat.
'All you do is think of her these days. This war has been brewing for weeks now. When will you go out and handle this?'
'I am handling Hag! Don't you see me here going over the latest information?' Varric felt the heat of shame rising to his ears. Hag? She hadn't called him that since he was an unruly adolescent. He was the Serpent Lord! Yet, she was right. Every piece of intelligence he reviewed was just a distraction from the powerful, magnetic pull of the link to Ardyn.
'Hag? Hmm. What I see is The Serpent Lord daydreaming about his human again. Stop distracting my student, and yourself, and get yourself back on TRACK!' Her last thought smacked into his brain hard and sent him reeling for a long moment.
In the end, it didn't matter. As soon as the war council was over, he went and found Ardyn. She was in her caves, sitting in a wide patch of blue-green moss. Her eyes were distant, and he found himself wondering if she thought about him.
He cleared his throat, and she rose with a smile. His arms automatically opened to her, and she fell into them without any hesitation. He drew her into him. This is what he had been waiting for the entire day. This is what he needed, and his heart thumped against his chest as he breathed in her scent and felt the rhythmic flow of her breathing. He held her against the broad, warm armor of his chest, feeling her smaller body mold perfectly against his, a quiet, perfect echo of the binding magic between them. Inhaling her scent—a sweet, subtle mix of lilac and the metallic mineral scent of the cave—was a balm that instantly smoothed the raw edges of his battle fury. The war room and the Cobra threat melted away. He lowered his head, resting his cheek against the silky paleness of her hair, and allowed himself a moment of absolute, selfish peace before he had to face the reality of the coming violence.