ardyn has learned to play a part. after thirty three years of acting as chancellor of niflheim, perhaps he could say that he learned from the best. the cruelty and treachery showed to him by verstael besithia stung nearly as much as his brother's sword in his chest. almost as much as the sight of the kingdom of insomnia, built using the blood of the last of solheim's sons. of ardyn, healer of the people. bringer of the dawn.
it was through the daemons of others that ardyn learned of the modern world when verstael had found him in his prison, crucified for sins that were not his- love, his one sin in the eyes of the gods, enough to condemn him to be all the world's evils. and if love was evil, then there was nothing sacred, was there? verstael showed him that he could use his anger. and use it he did. ardyn had once been kind and gentle. shy, the image of a saint, but not a king. that person was long dead, now.
the ardyn who sat with ada was a product of pain. carefully crafted to exact revenge. not only on somnus and his descendants, but on the gods that had cast him out. the holy son, the sacrificial lamb, told that he had no choice but to follow fate. and how much he fought to defy it! he defied it even into the beyond- into this strange city of spirale- something that he found still to be to his benefit. bahamut could not command him, now. could not torture him with visions of the past, with aera's fair features- maybe that was part of why he had already been drawn to ada.
she, too, was young and lovely, but in a way that was so very different from ada. an intellectual still, but with a cunning nature that perhaps others would overlook- but not ardyn. not a man who had spent his decades of freedom crafting the very same image. he almost expects ada to say she is someone of no consequence. instead, she says she is not so good at chess. she says she knows who he is; someone who likes to get his way. ❝ most people enjoy getting their way, ada, ❞ he says, and while he remains outwardly at ease, he's well aware now that this woman is not someone he can let get the better of him.
she's not wrong in a way- of course ardyn liked getting his way, but he was old enough by far to understand that there would always be things that would cause setbacks. he was old enough to have learned patience. ⎛ you think ten years is a long time? i have lived in darkness for ages! ⎠❝ i promise, you may also be giving me more credit than i deserve. ultimately, a desire to have my way makes me no different from any other person. i am no one of great consequence, simply someone who enjoys playing chess- ❞ he watches the board. watches her face. she smiles at him, feline, and he smiles back. and the more they play, the more he's certain that there is so much more to ada than she lets on.
❝ - and meeting interesting people. like you. it is not every day that i would come across a young entrepreneur, i can't help but be intrigued. can you blame me? ❞
