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Magic Show

Summary:

The Dragonborn likes to perform magic for the children of Whiterun -- Lydia likes to watch.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

One child turned to two. Then two to three, and three to four, until just about every child in Whiterun was gathered outside Breezehome. They crowded around the young woman as she tossed the small balls of fire between her hands, flames flickering at her fingertips. The children stared in awe at the simple fire trick, asking what else she could do with the fire.

The fire worked its way around her hands as she moved her fingers and flicked the fire into the air. It dispersed into a small cloud of smoke and the children cheered. Lydia watched the Dragonborn entertain the children from the doorway. Though she claimed countless times that she couldn’t stand kids, she never passed up an opportunity to perform for them. Lydia didn’t hold this against her, the girl might as well have been a child herself, having not even yet reached her twentieth year.

The Dragonborn flexed her hand and leaned back. “All out of magicka,” she said, smiling sadly at the children. They booed and protested, but eventually made their way off. When the last child was gone, she looked over her shoulder at Lydia, “Enjoy the show?”

Lydia cracked a smile, “Perhaps you would have been better suited to be a jester. You certainly know how to keep a crowd’s attention. Those children were outside the house for nearly an hour.”

“That long?” she asked, standing and stretching her arms over her head. The sleeves of her white shirt were burned black and brown in some places from the fire. “It’s good magic practice, if nothing else.” She turned on her heel and firmly placed her hands on her hips. “Say, Lydia, do you know any magic?”

Lydia folded her arms over her chest, “None at all.”

“Come now,” the Dragonborn said, standing in front of Lydia and flicking a weak flame at her, “Nothing at all?”

“We all have our limitations. I can’t say I’ve seen you do anything other than destruction magic.”

She shrugged and leaned against the door, “I suppose you’re right.” She stared out at the setting sun, the warm glow made her already red hair a fiery color. She turned her head towards Lydia, though her eyes remained trained on the sunset. “It would be quite a spectacle, though, to be able to set your sword on fire in the middle of a battle.”

Lydia elbowed her gently and said, “Well, that’s what I have you for.”

Notes:

I like the idea that the Dragonborn might be younger when they first discover their powers. I guess it makes it kind of sad that a child is burdened with the task of literally saving the world, but it makes for good drama. Lydia herself is fairly young in this fic, around mid twenties-ish. I have absolutely no idea if she has a canon age
I'm going through a bit of a Skyrim phase right now, so I might post a few more short stories about my Dragonborn and Lydia :]

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