[WHACK, and after a moment of seeing stars Ardyn found himself knocked to the sand, briefly stunned. A hand came up to his jaw as if that would remedy the sudden jolt of pain running through it like an electric current, and gold eyes came into focus on his twin brother standing over him.]
[Just like always, just like the shadow of the Founder King in his memories ordering his execution. Just like the figure that condemned him to torture and exile, and now he dared come to Ardyn as if it were all his fault?]
[Ardyn Tenmyouji kept a very tight lid on his anger; he bottled it up and forced it back for fear of what it would manifest as if ever it saw the light of day again. For fear of the Accursed, or whatever remnants of him still existed in a shattered and rebuilt mind. He'd kept his mouth shut about Nina, about Price, about the Director and all the bloody vengeance they deserved yet would never get. He'd not forgiven but set aside his fury with Xander for Jane's sake, patiently repressed his resentment at Nari for a multitude of reasons, and just refused to let himself express anger lest he unearth what should never have seen the light of day again.]
[He was, ultimately, afraid of himself. Or at least of the looming shadow of what he had once been.]
1/2
[Just like always, just like the shadow of the Founder King in his memories ordering his execution. Just like the figure that condemned him to torture and exile, and now he dared come to Ardyn as if it were all his fault?]
[Ardyn Tenmyouji kept a very tight lid on his anger; he bottled it up and forced it back for fear of what it would manifest as if ever it saw the light of day again. For fear of the Accursed, or whatever remnants of him still existed in a shattered and rebuilt mind. He'd kept his mouth shut about Nina, about Price, about the Director and all the bloody vengeance they deserved yet would never get. He'd not forgiven but set aside his fury with Xander for Jane's sake, patiently repressed his resentment at Nari for a multitude of reasons, and just refused to let himself express anger lest he unearth what should never have seen the light of day again.]
[He was, ultimately, afraid of himself. Or at least of the looming shadow of what he had once been.]