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Skadi woke up, her head pounding, every muscle in her body screaming. The au ra sat with a groan, prying open her eyes. As she focused her attention on her surroundings, she saw that she was in an infirmary, and standing before her was a young elezen. The elezen’s eyes widened, and they quickly scampered off. Skadi groaned again, cautiously stretching. Everything hurt, including her tail. As she took stock of all her aches and pains, motion at the doorway caught her attention.
“You’re awake. Thank heavens!” a familiar voice said. Skadi looked up to see Aymeric, his handsome face filled with relief.
“What happened?” Skadi asked, her voice a croak.
Aymeric sat down on a chair beside her bed and as he answered, he poured her a glass of water. “Do you recall the confrontation with Zenos?” She nodded, gratefully accepting the water. “In the midst of the duel, it is said you faltered, and that the crown prince seized the opportunity to deliver a mortal blow. Yet before his blade could find its mark, he was distracted by the arrival of a second adversary who bore you away into the battlefield and into the hands of our chirugeons.”
As he spoke, flashes of memory came to her: gold and azure armor, strong arms lifting her, and concerned slate blue eyes surrounded by a sea of pale hair. “Estinien…” she breathed.
Aymeric nodded. “He left before you awoke.” A slight smiled crossed the lord commander’s face. “You know how he is.”
Skadi nodded. “How do things stand?” Aymeric smiled and as he filled her in, she saw that things were better than she expected: the Alliance was holding its own against the Empire. “W-what of the Scions?” she asked, voice shaky.
He frowned, taking her hand. “Yet to wake I’m afraid. But please… do concentrate on your own recovery for now. You have carried the hopes of some half dozen nations- and we are all eternally grateful for your efforts- but no one is without their limits.” He kissed her forehead, smiling gently. “Not even you. Leave the fight to us, my dear. You have earned your rest.”
Skadi forced a smile, and she leaned back against the pillows, grimacing at the movement. Aymeric patted her hand. “Once you are feeling well, your friends are waiting for you at the Rising Stones.” He stood and his voice became stern. “But please, Skadi, rest. I know you always put others first, but you are no good to anyone if you are half dead with exhaustion.” With another gentle smile, Aymeric took his leave.
Skadi closed her eyes, trying to get some sleep, but images flashed across her mind: her friends falling unconscious at her feet, burning skies, and Zenos looming over her, his sword raised to deliver a mortal blow. She sobbed, curling up into a ball, letting the Darkness fill her as she gave in to her emotions. Shadows in the room deepened as she cried out into the Void, “Please, I need more strength! I cannot do this alone!” And to her utter surprise, she felt a presence answer.
Dark wings loomed in her mind, and she heard a roar like that of a great wyrm. “I hear thee, Warrior of Light. I have been watching thou and thine companions for some time, and our goals and intentions align. What is left of mine strength I give to thee, if thou accept. Use it well.”
“W-who are you?” Skadi asked, casting her thoughts into the Void. Even when calling upon her inner Darkness as she had been trained to by the man who taught her the way of the dark knight, she had never felt this… Presence.
The Presence chuckled, and Skadi felt her (for it was female) voice reverberate, much like the voices of the great wyrms she had spoken too. “I feel thou suspects, Warrior of Light,” she said. “Mine father and brother have spoken of thee, and I understand now why Midgardsormr chose to test thee. I am of dragonkind, and though my physical form was slain a long time ago, I have chosen to stay betwixt the veil of life and what comes after. My father’s task is not yet done, and with thine help we can ensure the future of hope on this star.” The Presence paused. “But I cannot join with thee unless thou wish to become mine partner. What say thee, Warrior of Light?”
Skadi’s mind whirled for a moment, shock and awe pushing past the hopelessness. She had never heard of a draconic shade even attempting what this one was suggesting! And yet… she didn’t sense any ill intention from this ghostly wyrm. Even when speaking with Hraesvelgr and Midgardsormr she had felt that the dragons were moments away from wanting to rip her to shreds, something she did not feel at all from this Presence. The au ra closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, making her decision. “It is obvious I do not have the strength to do what I must on my own. I cannot protect those I care for as I am now,” she said to the Presence. “But know this, dragon. If you try to do what Nidhogg did to a dear friend of mine, I will make you rue the day you met me.”
“I shall not. Ours will be a partnership. Dost thou accept?” the Presence asked again.
“I do,” Skadi whispered. “Stand at my side, and we’ll try to change this world for the better.” She felt a deep sense of approval.
“Then we are one!” The roar deepened, taking on an almost musical quality, and Skadi felt the dark knight and dragoon soul stones she wore around her neck blaze with a brief heat as her mind was filled by dragonsong. The heat penetrated her body, removing the physical ache. The Presence and her song faded from Skadi’s mind and the shadows in the room returned to normal. The feeling of helplessness returned, and despite her efforts, she couldn’t be strong any more. The au ra lay on her side, closed her eyes, and gave into despair.
Estinien paused outside the door to the Warrior of Light’s room. He had left her bedside before she woke, but he couldn’t go back to his wanderings, not without speaking to her. He had to know that she was alright. As he placed his hand on the door, he heard soft sobbing. His eyes widened and he quietly opened the door to see Skadi lying in the bed, curled up on her side, weeping. Her long black hair a wild mess, and she was in a soft cotton shirt and pants and not her usual armor, though he could see her great sword and lance lying against the wall nearby. She looked so small and vulnerable and his heart almost broke at the sight. Without even thinking, he went to the bed, sat down, and pulled her into his arms.
Skadi heard the door open and heard the soft footsteps cross the floor to her bedside, but she didn’t care. Then, she felt strong arms wrap around her, and she looked up to see Estinien. For once, he wasn’t in his armor, and she could feel his muscled body underneath his clothing. His handsome brow was furrowed and his slate blue eyes filled with concern. She looked into his eyes and lost all shreds of her remaining composure. She clutched his shirt and buried her face into his chest, wracked by sobs.
Estinien took a shaky breath and did the only thing he could think to do. He held her, pressing his cheek against the top of her head, gently stroking her back as she cried herself out. “Shhhh…” he murmured. “It’s alright, I’m here. I’ve got you, my love…”
Her sobs ceased after a few minutes and she looked up at him with an odd glint in her pale blue eyes. “Estinien, did you just say what I think you said?” she asked, voice rough.
The elezen blushed. “I-I suppose I did,” he said slowly. He took a deep breath, pausing, searching for the right words. “Back in the Steppes, when left, I did so because I was a coward and a fool.” He shook his head. “But… when I saw you confront Zenos, and when I saw you fall, I realized the true depths of my feelings for you, and I could not stand by.” Estinien’s eyes met hers and she could see the vulnerable hope and honesty in his face. “I love you, Skadi Darkglaive. And I hope you will consider being mine.” His hand brushed her hair out of her face, cupping her cheek, his fingers pausing only for a moment as he touched the smooth dark scales on her skin.
Skadi leaned into his hand and asked softly, “If I say yes, will you run away again?”
Estinien stiffened and he looked down, clearly ashamed of his earlier behavior towards her. “I will not run,” he answered, voice soft and determined.
“Good,” Skadi said as she dug her hands into his silky hair and pulled him in for a slow kiss. She pulled away, rested her forehead against his, and said softly, “I love you too, Estinien. I think I have since the Churning Mists.”
He smiled broadly, taking her face in his hands and kissing her again. She sighed in contentment, resting her face against his broad chest as he held her. Normally, a part of her would have complained about being a least a head shorter than her partner, but with Estinien, the height difference didn’t seem to matter. Skadi let out a breath and grumbled, “Though your timing could have been better.” She pulled away and flopped back to lie on the bed.
Estinien frowned, sprawling beside her, supporting himself on an arm. “What do you mean?”
She sighed. “I’m a bloody mess. I’m the Warrior of Light. I face down Primals on a regular basis, but I just got my ass handed to me by Zenos, again. So what if it was an Ascian in Zenos’s body? I’ve defeated Ascians too. My friends all have fallen into some kind of sleep that no one can wake them from. And I’m utterly powerless to do a damned thing!” As the frustration rose in her voice, Estinien felt… something within her echoing her anger, like the slow growling of an angry wyrm. The shadows in the room deepened for a moment. She continued, almost ranting, tears in her eyes again. “And because I’m the great Warrior of Light, everyone will expect me to do something.” Her voice was bitter. “They may not say it aloud, but they will expect me to pull off some kind of miracle.” She took a deep breath, reining in her anger. The shadows returned to normal as she got her emotions under control.
His lips twisted into a bitter half smile. “I know a bit what that is like,” he said softly. Skadi turned to glare at him, but before she could give an angry retort, he caressed her cheek. “I was Ishgard’s Azure Dragoon, remember? Everyone looked to me to solve the Dravanian problem, and we both know that was something a single man could not do.”
She looked at him, frowning. “I’m beginning to understand why you made a point to avoid any social gatherings and became a bit of a recluse,” she said dryly.
Estinien chuckled and he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. “But, my love, you have something I did not,” he said softly. “Even if they expect a lot of you, you have friends and allies from all over Eorzea and the East. You are not alone.”
Skadi nuzzled into his chest. “And you’ll stay with me?”
He smiled. “I will stay as long as you want me too.”
“Good,” she muttered. “If you ran away on me again, I’d have to kick your ass.” She nuzzled into his neck, kissing the sensitive skin under his jaw. He moaned softly, his hands going to her back, dipping under her shirt to run along her skin. He paused when his hands hit the dark scales on her waist and hips.
“Everything ok?” she asked him as she kissed below his ear. He nodded, a finger tracing the border between scale and skin, causing her to shudder. Her own hands dug into his muscled chest, and she growled softly, “Don’t stop, or I swear…” Estinien gave a throaty laugh, pausing to remove his shirt as she straddled his hips and removed hers.
“Gods you are beautiful…” he breathed, his hands running along her back up to her shoulders before he leaned up to kiss her deeply. As they paused for breath, she suddenly chuckled, and grabbed his shoulders, rolling over and flipping them so he was on top of her. “So, that’s how it’s going to be, hmm?” he growled into her neck. She merely smirked in response. “Very well, my lady,” he murmured, grinning.