It has been too long since she has seen her mother.
Too long since she has been able to press into Leliana’s chest and listen to her whisper sweet stories as sleep begins to claim. She had watched as her mother took to the skies that day, red dragon wings unfurling from her sides and carrying her higher and higher until the clouds had taken her—and although she loves her father, worships her father, she cannot deny the ache in her breast in the absence.
It was much the same when her mother had woken her and they had left Loess so quickly, when they had found themselves in the common lands and then Tephra, when the days had stretched into weeks and her mother had pressed assurances into her about her father’s reappearance soon—about his love for them.
Their reunion had been joyous but too quick.
She couldn’t help but wonder if they would ever be a full family ever again.
But she sees the familiar combination of red and mahogany and her heart leaps in her chest. She leans over and nudges her growing sister. “Mom’s home!” Her voice is gleeful as she pushes her forward, planning to right past her father to get to Leliana first, but she checks herself just in time. She slides to a stop, face luminescent and glowing with joy, heart thrumming in her chest at the sight of her parents wrapped together, the love so clear in the way that they cling to one another.
All is well.
When her parents finally break apart, she moves forward with Sabbath, letting their mother fuss over them. She closes her eyes, breathing in her mother’s familiar scent and committing it to memory.
“We’re all together again!”
Her fanged mouth spreads apart, sun glistening where it hits her gleaming scales. Something like a secret curls in her chest when her father mentions the surprise, smile turning a little satisfactory. They still don’t know that the prisoner is no stranger to her, that they are lifelong friends, and she has made a promise to herself that she won’t spoil the secret now. He had asked her, after all—and secrets are fun.
When Sabbath rushes in and spoils it regardless, she rolls her eyes.
“It’s a surprise,” she admonishes, but she can’t hide the glee that spreads across her features.
howl at the half moon, radio queen. she's all smoke. she's all nicotine.