For some reason, when she expressed her desire to learn about the force, a calm seemed to come over the room. A calm that spread through Andromeda’s muscles and gently convinced them to release the tension they had been holding since the door had swung open. Andromeda was entirely unaware that Ilwynog was actually the source of this calming atmosphere that had suddenly dominated the room. However, regardless of her lack of understanding, she was grateful for it.
She suddenly felt as though the heavy weight of anxiety had been lifted from her shoulders. She stood a little taller, a little prouder, a little more confident. Any with eyes to see could tell that when Andromeda was confident, the Diathim in her truly shone. There was a faint white glow encircling the visible parts of her moonlight skin. Even her hair seemed to shine a little brighter.
It helped a lot, more than Andromeda had the words to explain. Suddenly, looking at Ilywnog was not as terrifying as it had first been. They were just another species, another life form with their own culture and beliefs that Andromeda could explore. They were Jedi. Just like she was going to be, and as they had already said, even if they disagreed slightly. Jedi were there to help people, to protect them from danger and evil. That was the most calming realisation of all.
Ilywnog continued. Thankfully, much to Andromeda’s relief, they decided to start with some force training. It was the most she knew about anything to do with the Jedi, so hopefully this was the part where she could prove to them that she was worth their while. Worth the effort it would take to teach her. When Ilywnog directed her attention to the glass of water, Andromeda could not help but crack a small smile. The shadow Master then provided a demonstration of what they were asking her to do. Andromeda paid intense attention.
It began with the slow chill of the air around her. Andromeda could barely feel it at first, but by the time the water began to crack and freeze over there was an obvious drop in temperature. She marvelled at the way the ice crept from the inside of the water outward, till it touched the inside of the glass, splaying fantastic irreplicable snowflakes across the translucent vessel. Instinctively, as the sound of the glass losing its structure rang in her ears, she raised her hands to protect her eyes. Of course, that was when she realised that she had no eyes to protect. Not to mention the fact that there was a solid silver mask covering what remained of them. When she peeled her hands away again, she found an embarrassed titter falling from her lips.
Then, it was her turn.
Water was easy. Water came naturally. It flowed the same way the force did. Erratic in its patterns but it followed a natural path. Andromeda was pleased Ilwynog seemed to have picked an easy task, despite his warnings prior to taking a step back. She had never tried changing the temperature of water before, but if she could move it and shape it surely this should have been simple. What difference did it make whether the water started out hot, or cold, or neither? What difference did it make that this water was in a glass and not some murky puddle or trickling stream? None, Andromeda imagined, but she could not have been more wrong.
She took a step forward toward the glass, and then another. Her slender legs effectively closing the six-foot gap between her and the second glass in two graceful strides.
Andromeda got close enough to hear the almost imperceptible vibrations of the glass against the wooden desk. Ilwnog had said she could step closer if she wished, and Andromeda was not one for dashing extra help to the side. Before beginning, she pushed the long flowing sleeves of her robes up to her elbows and settled her hands by her side. It was more comfortable this way. If she really focused, she could feel the force dancing between her fingertips like a gentle summer breeze through winding streets.
She focused, doing her best to heed Ilwynog’s advice. To feel the force flowing from her and into the air with the goal of matching the ict atmosphere they produced.
A bead of sweat pearled on her forehead and trickled slowly down the gap between her mask and her face. Nothing happened. Or at least, nothing close to what Ilwynog had achieved. There was not a distinct shift in temperature, despite the fact that Andromeda could feel the tips of her fingers growing slowly colder the more she tried. Seconds passed, and then minutes. All the while Andromeda kept her eyes closed, kept herself from using what little force sight she had mastered. She continued to attempt to feel the force swirling around her. She almost imagined it to be snowflakes, twisting and twirling in a harsh and unforgiving blizzard. She could almost feel them falling on her skin. Their frigid structure biting and nipping at anywhere that was exposed, but still, Andromeda could feel no change in the water.
Finally, she stopped. Releasing a heavy sigh as she slowly allowed herself to see the room again, shadow by shadow. When she focused her attention on the water, the first thing she did was reach out to dip a finger into the glass. Clearly, she had not managed what Ilwnog had accomplished. In truth, she had not expected too. Even they had said this particular force move was difficult to master. Still, she had expected something. As far as she could tell the water had shifted no more than a degree or two in temperature. And because of the slowly numbing sensation in the tips of her fingers, Andromeda could not tell whether it was colder or warmer than it had been before.
She took a step back, followed by another disappointed sigh. She would wait for Ilwnog to perhaps offer some pointers, and then she would try again.