The Bear Clan Training
Ardyn pulled away and looked up at Varric. They were frozen in the depths of each other's eyes. They stood quietly looking at each other, and then a single tear rolled from Ardyn's eye.
Varric smiled and caught the tear before it reached her cheek. He brought it before her, a single drop clinging to his finger. She felt magic flow through him and into that drop. It turned a brilliant opaque rainbow and solidified into a dense, smooth, crystal. A thin black braided cord grew from either side of the teardrop.
He stepped to Ardyn, and the cord was around Ardyn's neck after a blink of Varric's eye. As the crystalline rainbow drop rested on her chest, it flared brightly, and she felt her soul stir and sing.
Her magic increased 10 fold, and she felt her connection with Sidus Serpens strengthen as well. She looked at Varric, tears returning, but these were born of immense love and gratitude. "Thank you for loving me. And thank you for this gift—it feels like a part of you is with me, always."
He smiled to her, and a knowing look passed between Varric and Elsa. He disappeared with a soft kiss brushing across Ardyn's lips.
"Come on – I still want you to train at the Bear Clan." Ardyn nodded – touching her new pendant – and a wave of calm resolve washed over her, replacing the painful apprehension. She began to walk without looking up.
The Bear Clan was just outside Varric's territory to the Southeast. Their territory was a large webbing of forests - with their sacred forest in the center of it all.
Ardyn walked amongst the trees in awe – they began singing to her once they had gotten a few hundred yards away from the forest. The tree colors were mesmerizing as they swayed in response to her presence.
Ardyn walked calmly, absorbing it all.
Bess, the Bear Clan leader, stepped out of the trees. Her deep amber eyes resting on Ardyn in curiosity. She was a Bear beastkin and her face was human with rounded bear ears and patches of soft black and white fur on her arms and legs. She towered over both Ardyn and Elsa but she did not radiate danger in any way.
"Elsa. It is good to see you, and you seem to keep interfering company."
"Bess. Meet my new student, Ardyn, the new Mistress of Serpentia." The large beast-kin's eyes widened, but then her mouth spread out in a smile. Ardyn showed no outward reaction but inwardly she felt her blood warm and rush through her veins, in response to being called the Mistress of Serpentia.
"Interesting. Her magic has hints of nature and color. I have not seen anything like her in a long time."
Bess looked to Elsa with a smile. "Come sister, let's talk, I can tell you are not here just for a simple visit."
Elsa smiled and looped her arm with Ardyn and dragged her along.
That night it began. Ardyn began training in the webbing of the great forest – Ursi Viridis Circulus. She began in the outer layers of the forest, the trees were massive and quiet. The magic flowed quietly and it did not seek out others; it simply swirled about like sentient wisps of knowledge, demanding patience and meticulous focus.
Her Tranquility Magics focused within her, coming to a fine point and delicate threads. Where Serpentia's power was vast and tidal, the Bear Clan's taught precision. She was able to manipulate magic more meticulously. She wove thin threads of lilac magic together and manipulated the space around her.
The trees listened and responded to her every motion as if she were leading an orchestra through a complicated piece of music. Bess and Elsa watched her carefully.
"She is a very special human."
"She is."
"How did Varric get Serpentia to accept her?"
"He didn't have time to try. Serpentia and Sidus Serpens accepted her on their own."
Bess raised an eyebrow. "Ursi Viridis Circulus seems to have accepted her as well."
Elsa nodded. Her eyes carefully following Ardyn's magical flow.
"The Bear Clan will bless her – if she makes it to the sacred forest at the center of Uris Viridis Circulus."
"Good. I sense Sidus Serpens will separate us soon – I need to ensure she has all she needs before that happens."