"Confidence that was earned." He was considered a prodigy of a mage back in Tevinter. Not all of it through so called "natural talent" but hard work, incredibly hard work for his father's approval. A lot of damn good that did him.

He wrinkles his nose at the idea of sitting in the sand. It would take forever to remove the grains from his robes but apparently his friend is relaxing the night they charge in to raider camps.

"You needed this," he says, studying him. "To get away from it all and charge in to danger."

He's a bit amazed by that. Who found battle relaxing?