#WHAT WILL HAPPEN BETWEEN EZ AND RAYLA. AND EZ AND CALLUM

[sasstrid-and-dorkcup]

Having confirmation that Ezran is going to totally snap in s7 when he sees Runaan has me rubbing my hands together menacingly in excitement for the potential broyals drama that will come with all of that

Like we've all been saying for months now that Callum will be torn between Rayla and facing justice for Harrows death but now that we're all the more closer to that giant broyals fallout I'm getting so so so excited

[1lovepeace]

I genuinely agree with your take. It's true that the trauma Rayla experienced doesn't excuse her actions, but it deeply explains the reasoning behind it. And in a way, you see Amaya soften up after seeing herself in Rayla in terms of being stoic, strong, and lonely in handing things alone. She's opened up more. Callum refuses to let Rayla push him away, that everything they do and face, they do it together, accepting his help and leaning on him for support. Little by little, she's growing and maturing, and I'm proud of her. There's still a long way to go for her, but she will get there.

With all the time that all four of Rayla's parents have spent self-reflecting, whether in the coins or while being alone and self-isolated from the community over the last two years, I sincerely hope that it can transition to all five of them reconciling, healing and repairing their broken, fractured family. No doubt that all 4 of her parents are incredibly scarred, haunted, devastated, and extremely hurt by the failures and negligence committed. Imagine the uncontrollable, horrifying nightmares they must be having of Rayla, being tormented by her memory every night. Their hurt, pain, heartbreak, emotional/psychological torture, and suffering are perhaps far worse than we imagined. I wouldn't even know where to begin with addressing Moonfam's family issues. But they deserve to have their family again after all they've been through.

But Rayla also has a right to feel and express her anger, resentment, disdain, animosity, and even her rage towards all four of her parents for what they put her through. Let her say what she needs to say. Let Rayla be angry and messy.

Seeing people crap on arc two Rayla genuinely makes me sad. I don't think many people truly realize the depth of Rayla's isolation. What happened to all the characters in arc one was horrible (I am not down playing that), Callum and Ezran lost their father, and Soren lost his family, but they all had Katolis to go back to. Their home. Rayla lost EVERYTHING. She lost the assassins who she grew up with and trained her, she lost her home, and worst of all she lost her parents. She lost Runaan and Ethari in one go, only months after her parents. And all she had to remember them by was what they taught her. And they taught her self sacrifice, they taught her to do questionable things in the name of protection and the greater good. Viren threatened everything she loved which WAS Callum and Ezran, and she thought he was still alive. She was stuck in fight or flight mode, she was bathed in trauma. And she had a point in TTM, everyone was just moving on, and didn't take or let her have anytime to truly grieve. She was in such a dark place in TTM and it influenced her decisions. She knows she did something wrong, she knows she hurt Callum. She hasn't brought herself to apologize yet, but why did we stop treating her as human? (Or elf, as it were)

Also hi, I've recently been liberated from TDP reddit

[raayllum]

Trailer Breakdown time

Important notice: There will be spoilers from 7x01 mentioned as well from NYCC as well as screencaps that were previously released. Read ahead at your own risk!

So what a trailer am I right?

For this meta I'm gonna divide into sections in terms of episode order (largely 7x01, 7x02, and speculation to the mid season point) and then also talk about voice overs / clip placement from previous seasons when I think it's relevant. Let's go!

What we know

These shots of Callum and then Ezran and co. touching down in Katolis, as well as the vision Ezran has of his parents (which the fact he's seeing like that rather than how they actually were, sitting on the thrones side by side, is life ruining let me tell you) are all from 7x01, "Death Alive".

We know thanks to 7x01 that Runaan is arrested and everyone goes to the Banther Lodge to set up a temporary camp / plan their next moves, hence a makeshift council meeting (which Ezran having the throne brought with him... baby boy really isn't doing well). So it seems the following screencaps are all from 7x02.

We can also place this Callum and Rayla handhold at the Banther Lodge by the bridge outside.

They are probably (for whatever reason) conspiring/deciding to free Runaan and leave, leading to this scene with matching sky / colours - Soren and Rayla squaring off before Ezran arrives with more guards.

He might let them go or try to hold on, but they successfully flee / get away. I could also see Rayla and/or Runaan stepping in like "I'll stay behind, you go to the Silvergrove" (and if Rayla offers, that might melt Ezran enough to let them leave). Either way, I think Ezran's conversation with Aanya on the Banther Lodge bridge will either influence the choice(s) he makes here if it's before, or reference this crossroads if it comes after before we leave the Banther Lodge for the season.

We also know from 7x01 that Aaravos wants a Moon primal stone and to likely corrupt the Moon Nexus in order to invert life and death, destroy the Cosmic Order, and bring about eternal night. It seems likely Claudia and human Aaravos will achieve these aims by the mid-season point-ish. After 7x01 they have to go to the Puzzle House to get the map to the Garden of Innocence with unicorns, and they will likely require Terry's Pure Heart (my interview with Aaron Ehasz) to read the map to get them there. If 7x02 is "pure heart" that could be a nice parallel between Callum-Rayla and Terry-Claudia about a willingness (or lack of) to help and why.

From there, it's all speculation, so let's get into it.

What we can speculate

So first things first, we get Claudia and Human Aaravos at the Moon Nexus doing the Nexus inversion, presumably, and bringing people / creatures back from the dead. One looks rather like Ziard and brings up a staff, which Aaravos takes.

We also know this is earlier on in the season because Claudia's har is more white. During the spell, we also see Soren, Terry, Allen, and what seems to be Aanya holding a dead / unconcious Lujanne on the ground. It seems both Soren and Terry are running to stop her, though I don't know what Allen is doing (maybe holding back Ezran for some reason, if Ez is there).

Then we have more of the dead coming out, including a dragon that almost squashes Soren but does not have a rider, so it's not the same (assumedly) as before.

Later on, we see more creatures crawling out of the water at what seems to be the Nexus, since it's bordered by the same walls as the lake.

We also see Aanya and Ezran surrounded by the dead at the Valley of Graves (hi Sol Regem skeleton), but the moon doesn't look as... corrupted / taken as it does at the Nexus shot, so this could be happening in the early stages of the spell. Then Ezran could send Soren, who gets there too late, and who knows how fast Aaravos can travel on his own.

There seems to be some kind of confrontation between Ez, Aanya (hi exploding fire arrows), and Aaravos at the Valley of the Graves either way.

Since like I said the Moon isn't in the right spot, I'd wager the Ez-Aanya fight here is from 7x03 or 7x04, with the Moon Nexus inversion in 7x04 or 7x05. In the same timeframe, Rayla (and Runaan + Callum?) is going back to the Silvergrove and being put on trial.

The little tiny mushrooms here and in the section with her and one of the fallen assassins makes me think that rather than just standing around and talking, there could be an underwater dream-like portion to the trial as well. Something like "You touch the assassin and get blood on your hands (literally)" because they love their on-the-nose symbolism.

So I don't think the screenshots here are Rayla getting injured... Yet.

Now onto the harder to speculate sections, or what I like to call

What the Fuck is Going On

It seems, since Callum and Ezran learn that, "Aaravos is back. He wants to bring about eternal night. He's unleashed the spirits of the dead" (Callum) that the kids regroup and plan for what to do next. This could be 7x05 or 7x06. The trio (broyals / Rayla and Ezran) reconcile maybe from the Runaan fall out, with Ezran asserting that, "We have to be ready. We have to build our defences." (This could also be where Callum's line as a "the three of us have been through a lot together. We'll get through this, too" comes in as a parting goodbye before the group splits, as well as Callum's heroic rallying speech that is very reminiscent of 3x08: "There is a way out of this. With good people doing courageous things. Doing what's right!").

This "building our defences" could mean that the trio splits up to go get allies from prior seasons, like Rex Igneous (Ezran and co. shot) and Akiyu. They could also be fetching sun crystals for Aanya's arrows.

We see Callum defending an unconscious Akiyu (by the water) and Runaan (just under his tunic flare). His ice spell seemingly responds to Claudia's fire spell, and she has more white hair and is standing likewise near water. So it seems we'll get a Callum Claudia duel face off sometime in the mid to late season!

It also seems that Claudia's Laurelion dragon-scale necklace is just a dragon-scale, but gives her the super armour / fire power-up.

At some point we also meet up with the Sunfire elves, not just at their ruins / make-shift camp, but at the Sunforge palace itself, since Khessa's throne is in the background in these shots with Rayla. The purple background and Phyrrah also indicates that Soren and Corvus are in the same area.

Presumably, they've gathered all their allies (end of 7x08?) and are preparing for their final attempt to defeat Aaravos (and free Callum?). And Callum is going to get possessed, so when do we think it's happening?

Well, if the gang is travelling to get allies, Callum (and Rayla - and maybe Ezran or others?) have gone to get Zubeia perhaps from the mushroom mage. While there, shit goes down, and we get this shot of Callum (presumably from 7x06-7x07):

While the cube is angled the way it was in Callum's dark magic dreams, I don't think this is a dream. The background doesn't match up with previous, we've never seen this form of corrupted face for him with his eyes not black, and he has a white streak, which was never present when dreaming of himself as Aaravos' puppet last season.

I also don't think Callum is going to do dark magic to coin Aaravos (at least not for the initial corruption). Not only is it a little wonky pacing wise, it's a bit too clean, as it takes away the #1 threat Callum is scared of when it comes to doing dark magic. While he of course doesn't want to be corrupted at all, it was primarily the fact the corruption would make him Aaravos' puppet that scared him. It's also a bit too thematically contradictory for Aaravos to be successfully defeated in a 'bad way' rather than in a good way (teamwork, etc) nor does it work with the 6x03 set up for him and Rayla, but that's just me.

That all said, the fact that the trailer highlights his parallels to Viren and Claudia not just once, but twice (god bless that "however dangerous, however vile" and another "I would do anything for you") and through Kosmo's 6x06 voice over ("If you ever do dark magic again, the darkness and corruption will overwhelm you") makes it pretty clear that even if it hasn't happened here, it will happen in the season eventually. I don't think i have much to say on this plot beat / characterization that I haven't been saying for, well, the past 4 years, cause if you know, you know! (And I'll probably do a post just screaming about this + the cube later anyway.)

We also have some misc screencaps that could go about anywhere (Terry running, him + Aaravos and Claudia in the woods with the flying primal stone? Seeker or guider?) even if I do think they continually point towards Terry defecting this season.

Conclusion

If I missed any screencaps or you have any questions feel free to send them my way in my askbox! What do you think is going to happen and what are you most excited for this season?

[sorinethemastermind]

Deepest Depths (1/4)

In which Callum hatches a plan that will save them all, but doom himself. And Soren decides to save him from that doom at his own expense. Blame @adashulaz for this angsty mess of a fic.

 “There is another option.” Callum says, and hopeful faces turn to him from every corner of the table. But the optimism in their eyes dies as soon as he brings out the unicorn’s horn and sets it on the table. Soren himself shivers, knowing now what those can do. And the blood that was spilled to wrest it from Aaravos’ grasp.

 “Callum.” Rayla says, voice hollow. “People died.”

 “And that’s exactly why we should use it.” he says, earnest. Desperate. “So that their sacrifices mean something. We all know what Aaravos is capable of now. What he’s really capable of. With this-” he hefts the horn again, offering it to the table. Several people flinch away. “-I could cast a spell to get rid of him. For good, this time.”

 “The spell that killed Avizandum.” Ezran says, voice ringing through the silence that had descended as soon as Callum finished speaking. “That’s how this started. It’s not how we’re going to end it. That spell is evil.”

 “It could kill Aaravos, permanently. Isn’t that what we’re trying to do?” Callum argued, turning on his brother. Soren hated to see them fight like this, especially when they needed each other most.

 “Yes, but I’m not going to let us become monsters to do it.” Ezran told his brother.

 “So you’re calling King Harrow a monster?”

 It was like a slap in the face to the young king, and Soren knew that Callum would regret it later. He stepped forward, putting himself physically between them before things could escalate anymore than they already had. 

 “Let’s all just cool it.” he said, arms out, forcing them both to step back.

 Rayla backed him up, placing a gentle hand on Callum’s shoulder. “This isn’t going to help anything.” she murmured in his ear, quiet enough that Soren only barely heard her. The mage deflated somewhat, shoving the unicorn horn back into his satchel.

 “I’m just saying we should consider it.”

 “No.” Ezran said with a shake of his head. “I won’t.”

 “Fine.” Callum snapped. He turned and stalked off, and after a moment Rayla followed, casting an apologetic glance over her shoulder at Ezran. The young king turned away, unable to look at either of them. Things had been strained between them since Runaan, even without this.

 Once the pair of them had gone, Ezran resumed the meeting; acting as though the conversation had never happened. Everyone followed his lead, unable to do much else, though Soren caught a few anxious glances passing around the room. More than the castle was crumbling, he thought. Their resolve was too. They could only take so much more of this before it broke entirely. Callum and Ezran needed to be working together instead of against each other.

 To that end, he went to find the High Mage once the meeting had adjourned; no more fruitful than any of the others they had held over the last couple weeks. Thankfully Callum and Rayla weren't hard to find; Soren could hear their voices trailing out of the library from all the way down the hall.

 "-he'd thank me later." Callum was saying. Soren could hear the distinct clip of his stride as he paced back and forth as he spoke. "They all would. I'd be doing them a favor."

 "Callum, even if it wasn't that spell in particular, it wouldn't work."

 "I know that dark magic is bad-"

 "Not just that." Rayla cut in. "Callum. You would die."

 Soren stopped short, hand hovering over the doorknob. He let it fall to his side, instead peering through the small crack in the door they had left, the door not entirely closed. Rayla was leaning against a bookshelf only a few feet away, arms crossed over her chest. Callum had stopped his pacing to turn to her, eyes determined.

 "Rayla, you made me promise to do the right thing. To make the sacrifice. If this is what it takes to win, to protect you and Ez, then it's what I have to do."

 "That's not what I-"

 "You're not the only one who's willing to sacrifice everything, Rayla. You know if things were different you'd make the same call."

 She couldn't argue and Callum knew it. "So it's settled then. Tomorrow morning you and I set out. I'll cast the spell, and you'll make sure it hits it's mark. For Katolis. For the world." his determination wavered. "For Ez."

 "What if-" Rayla began, but Callum cut her off with a shake of his head. 

 "It won't work, I already thought of that." he said, frustrated. "The Dark Magic, it hits you almost immediately after the spell is cast. If you do it, then you won't be able to make sure the weapon finds it's mark. You're the warrior, Rayla. So let me be the mage. Remember?"

 "Callum-" she tried to protest, but his voice just climbed higher to drown her out, rising in pitch and anger.

 "The warrior and the mage, Rayla. This was always how it was meant to be. The warrior and the mage will pierce of the heart-"

 "I know the dumb prophecy, Callum." Rayla snapped, voice rising to meet his.

 "-and melt the threat forever." he finished, putting extra emphasis on the last word. "Forever, Rayla."

 "That's not what it was about, Callum." Rayla argued. Soren, still glued to the door, could almost hear their voices morphing into those of his mother and father. Saw their shadows moving under the door like he'd seen theirs; angry and arguing, and him, outside, looking in and unable to fix it. Unable to understand. If they loved each other, then why…

 But he understood now. It was because they had loved each other. But Dark Magic had driven them apart. Pain had driven them apart; grief, fear. 

 It was all that filled the halls, now. You could feel it all around you; fear and pain and loss. And darkness. Not Dark Magic, maybe. Not yet. But soon that would make it's home here as well. His own name called Soren back to the present and made him lean against the door again, peering through the crack at the pair of them.

 "Soren... do you think he still loves Viren?" Callum was asking, turning to Rayla. He was holding a book now, one that Soren remembered well. It was one of his father's. 

 Rayla, she'd stepped away from the bookcase during the heat of the argument and now paced across the opposite side of the room, turned to look at him. "Callum?"

 "It's for the spell." he explained. "We need blood filled with hatred, but not just any blood, the blood of someone who loved the victim. And after what Astrid told us about the pearl being here, well, Viren is the closest we have to a victim right now. I already managed to find the rest."

 Rayla's back was to the door, so Soren couldn't see her expression, but she hunched her shoulders in as she answered; "Even after Runaan tried to kill me, even after Ethari made me a ghost, I still loved them, Callum. It made that love hurt, but it didn't go away. They're my family. I'll always love them. No matter what they've done."

 Callum let the book fall shut, turning to her. They shared a long glance until, finally, Rayla looked away first.

 "It's settled then." Callum said, voice final. "We go in the morning. At first light, so Ezran can't stop us. I'll ask Soren right before we go, in case he sides with Ez. If he says no, then we'll figure something else out."

 Callum tucked the book into his satchel as he crossed the floor to Rayla then, taking her hands in his. "I love you, Rayla. Nothing will ever change that. Not even tomorrow. Just know that, somewhere in me, I’ll always love you."

 A small, stifled sound like a sob escaped Rayla's lips and Callum pressed his forehead to hers. Soren stepped away from the door, feeling even more like an intruder. But not before he caught the next thing Callum said.

 "If we succeed and he’s gone, and I mean really gone, then he won't be able to use me; even if I do use Dark Magic again. Maybe... maybe I can find my way back to you. I'll fight to get back to you with everything I have, Rayla. I promise."

 Soren left them to their grief. 

 He couldn't sleep that night, or more, he could; but every time he closed his eyes, half-formed visions played behind his eyelids. Rayla, crouched over Callum's fallen form, shaking him and begging him to wake up. Ezran, tears gathering in his eyes, the horrible surety filling them as he realized that Callum had gone before he awoke. The statue that would stand in the Valley of Graves long after all of them were dead and buried. 

 Soren had known Callum for most of his life; grown up with him and watched him become the man he was today. He was proud of the mage, who was like a brother to him. But with that knowledge came recognition; he had seen that look in Callum's eyes a thousand times before and knew what it meant. When Callum set his mind to something, really set his mind to it, there was no stopping him; even if that thing he'd chosen was his own death. Soren figured that was why Rayla hadn't argued any more than she had; they both knew Callum well enough to know it would be pointless. 

 But the same way that Soren knew he couldn't stop Callum, he also knew what he had to do. He had known when he followed them to the library, he now realized. Before he even heard the first whisperings of their plan. But there was one problem with Soren's new solution; Callum was right. If he cast the spell, then the dark magic would make him go all wobbly long before he could get it to Aaravos. Unless...

 Soren sat up, looking down at his hands; clenching and unclenching them. Felt the air filling his lungs with every breath. This wasn't the first time he'd been exposed to dark magic. It was a part of him. He was a dead man walking. None of the others knew that, of course. How did you bring it up in casual conversation? But maybe if Callum had known, he would have changed his plan. Maybe Soren could cast the spell and deliver the killing blow, all on his own.

 It was too late to ask Callum that now, though. He'd become suspicious immediately. And it was too late to know if the twisted, horrible feeling in his chest was love for his father or hate. He would just have to hope it would work. 

 Soren donned his armor with newfound purpose, or more, a purpose that had always been there, but he had only now accepted. He was a Crownguard. This was what he did. My heart for Katolis, he thought. My life for the royal family. 

 His footfalls were quiet, quieter than they’d ever had to be before, as he crept down the hall and into Callum's study. Thankfully he had gone to sleep with Rayla tonight, so Soren was able to disregard stealth in favor of speed as he searched for the satchel and it's contents. He found it hanging off the back of a chair; and upon opening it, was relieved to see that everything he would need was already there. He picked the book up just in case, flipping through until he found the spell that had, as Ezran had put it, started this all. 

 A unicorn horn, blood filled with hatred, and-

 Soren stopped. lifting the small, empty appearing glass jar from the satchel even as he read the words. A dying breath.

 His own breath caught in his throat at the realization of what must be contained right behind that glass. Soren knew that Callum's mastery of the sky arcanum had only grown in recent years, and that, he supposed, meant mastery over air itself. But to think that he had found the place it happened and- 

 Soren squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself not to feel anything. Not to admit that maybe this was too far, too dark a spell. After all, what choice did they have?

 He tucked the jar back into the satchel alongside the other components, marking which page held the incantation. Then he slung it over his shoulder and he left.

[zuppizup]

Circumstance

“You didn’t have to put him in the dungeon, Ez!” Rayla fumed, struggling to keep her temper in check. “In chains!”

“Rayla, Callum freed Aaravos!” Soren grabbed her by the upper arm, attempting to pull her back.

“He didn’t feel like he had a choice!” Rayla wrenched her arm back, glaring at the crown guard.

“He admitted to it in front of Janai and Zubeia. He made no excuses. What else could I do there and then?” Ezran sighed, tears in his eyes. “He’s my brother, Rayla, but I still have to consider my people. He’s put more than Katolis in danger.”

Rayla tried to gather her thoughts, swallowing past the thick lump in her throat. The weight of it all hung heavy upon her. Callum had done it for her after all, traded the Cube for her life. The guilt of it all felt like a dark heavy cloak smothering her, wearing her down. She hated the thought that Callum was in the position he was in because of her.

Sighing, she shook her head. “What would you have done, Ez? In that moment, what would you have done?”

“You think you’re a good judge of that?”

Rayla turned to look at Soren, having almost forgotten he was there.

“You had an opening, didn’t you? Back when Aaravos possessed him again. You could have ended it all, there and then.” Soren raised his chin, his eyes piercing. “You could have stopped things before we ever got here, but you didn’t. You really think we can trust your judgement on any of this?”

“You think I should have killed him?” Her voice caught as she glared at Soren defiantly.

“I think neither of you has the high ground when it comes to considering the greater good.”

“I’d do anything to keep him safe.” Rayla swallowed, biting her lip. “He’d have done the same for Ezran. He wanted to protect us.”

“I know.” Soren held her gaze. “And that’s the sort of reasoning my father used to come up with.”

Rayla clenched her fists, glaring at him. “Callum is nothing like Viren.” How dare he-

“Isn’t he?” Soren raised an eyebrow, clearly challenging her. “He didn’t even attempt to excuse what he’d done.”

Rayla took deep breaths, trying desperately to think of some way to counter this.

Ezran stepped forward, taking her hands, soothing her tight fists. “They’re afraid of him, Rayla. They’ve seen what Viren did-”

Her breath caught in her throat, as she blinked back tears. “Ezran, he’s not Viren.”

“Rayla, I-” Ezran looked between her and Soren, his brow furrowed. “I understand why he did it. I do, I think most people would but... if it came down to it. If something similar happened again, if its Katolis or, or the Pentarchy? Xadia. Do you- What do you think he’d do?”

Ezran stared at her, his eyes wide. Challenging. Begging her to counter. To insist Callum wouldn’t falter again. Wouldn’t put either of them before everyone else.. everything else.

Before the world.

She tried to look him in the eye, to hold his gaze... but she couldn’t... because, well, she already knew the answer.

Circumstance II

———

Mayhaps in the continuity of Borrowed Time, I dunno

[jelzorz]

156.

Villads is kind enough to give them a lift back to Katolis, which is nice, thinks Rayla, because it's quicker and safer and ultimately more convenient, but also horrible, because it's an extra week of sailing, and Rayla's had enough of the nausea and the vomitting and the world bobbing up and down on the waves.

It does give them a lot of downtime though.

It's weird. They had downtime while they were waiting for Ez and Soren and Corvus to come back from their meeting with Domina Profundus too, but it was a different sort of downtime—one fraught with tension and the itch to move, to do something instead of wait for the end of the world. There's a sense of completion this time, which makes sense, supposes Rayla. They have Aaravos' prison and they need to decide on their next move together, which is easier done in the castle after a little rest and recuperation. But until then, they are sailing, and waiting, and the bruises on Callum's face fade with every passing day, and the split in his lip heals little by little until he barely flinches anymore when he eats or smiles.

"It's not that bad," he promises her when she asks. "I reckon I've had worse."

Rayla clucks her tongue at him. "Have you?"

Callum shrugs. "I dunno. But it's what I'm telling myself until something worse does happen." He grins then, but Rayla catches the waver in the corner of his lip, and she knows it stings to put up such a front but can't be mad at him for it because... Well. She'd do the same.

"Forget about it, okay?" His smile softens into something a bit more genuine, and he touches her face, his fingers gentle against her skin. "We're okay now. That's all that matters."

Rayla supposes he's right, but forgetting about it is not as easy as he makes it sound. Twice now, she's woken up frantic and terrified, her hands numb with cold, and her mind filled with images of him, desperate to help her, him drawing his fist back and slamming it into Finnegrin's jaw, him crumpling onto the deck under the force of Elmer's blow. The steady rocking of Sea Legs beneath her doesn't help—if anything, it makes it worse, and she stumbles on her own feet as she gets up, seeking Callum in the dark, just to make sure he's here, and he's safe.

And he is. Of course he is. How could he not be? He's Callum, and he's looked at every challenge so far and laughed in its face. She breathes out when she finds him in the hammock next to her, his breathing steady, his skin warm beneath her fingers, his pulse drumming stubbornly in his wrist.

He stirs under her touch, and Rayla draws back, her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't meant to wake him, but relief floods her anyway when his eyes flicker open and land on hers, green against lilac, his brow furrowed in concern.

"You okay?"

Rayla hesitates, then swallows, then nods. "Yeah," she mumbles. "I—erm—" She coughs. "I just... wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why would I not be?"

The ship rocks and moonlight flashes over Callum's lip, still swollen, still split. Rayla flinches at the sight of it, the image of him splayed unconscious on the deck suddenly fresh in her mind once more.

"Oh," says Callum.

Rayla looks away.

There's a pause. It's long and it feels like an ocean between them, so many things still unsaid, so many feelings still unaddressed. Callum shifts, finding her fingers in the dark and resting his forehead against hers, his breath warm and comforting against her lips.

"I'd do it again," he mumbled at last. "I'd take it all again if it meant you'd be safe."

"You wouldn't."

"I would."

Another pause. Another breath. And then the press of lips against hers, gentle, tentative, barely passing for a kiss at all, but a kiss all the same. Rayla tastes the metallic tang of blood on his lips, the split not quite healed all the way just yet, and Callum breathes out, his nose against hers, his breath light on her skin. "I'd do anything for you," he murmurs.

Rayla squeezes her eyes shut, her throat tight, her fingers tighter around his. "I know," she says at last. "That's what I'm scared of."

[obsessedwiththedragonprince]

Se4 ep6 thoughts

I love how Soren sees the dragon and is immediately like: ✨️friends✨️? Big puppy energy. Looks so innocent!! Well that didn't go well.

No-one looking for Soren? Yikes. Wow Rayla took you long enough lmao. Not like he didn't come home last night!

Whatcha doing? while Ezran's discovering he's the new spiderman.

Zubeia will not be pleased.

Finally some thought to the freaking anonymous elf!! Did i mention how much i am loving the accent? Because yes.

Lmao Raylaa

What is this????

Like ig there was a different light source and they changed it later but does no-one watch this like, I dunno, a thousand times before it's released??

My distracted ass had to go make these gifs mid episode because why not. And this was my first time making one so when i clicked the tick and it didn't appear as an option in my videos from gallery i tried again. And again. And again. Then realised i had four of them in the gallery. So yeah. That happened.

Anyway continuing my watch. Lmaoo not even 6 minutes. Oops...

Poor Bait getting knocked overr. And again why can Ez see through Zym's eyes? Will we ever know?

Amaya it is not just a fricking candlee. Like I love you but show some respect please. Okay that escalated quickly. Is there no way to like, give the elf some comfort or something that doesn't involve killing? Like yes i actually get why death would be an appropriate punishment cause in their eyes extinguishing that candle is prolly worse than killing someone cause if u kill they still get to the afterlife but. I think the focus should also be on the elf and doing sth for his benefit?

Um i guess earthblood elves don't know he's the dragon prince? Cause otherwise they have some serious trouble coming. Is Callum going to save the day? This blackout transition was a bit unusual. Looked fine but not really their style?

Are we getting some info on elven politics? Masked guys? This little smile thing between Karim and one of Six Horns... he did some bribing? Hope not cause this could turn ugly. It prolly will who am i lying to.

'Don't u remember who u are' felt a little forced to me. They often have those inspiring speeches that don't feel like they belong there. Why isn't Callum flying around looking for Zym? And why wasn't he their 'eyes' to begin with?

The kiddo is back again! Kinda didn't like that was all we saw of him so welcome back!

Karim u little shit. I don't yet know what he's planning but i feel it in my bones it ain't nothing good. Best case he just wants them gone from Xadia. Hopefully.

Why did that elf go after Rayla? Because they are so-called protectors? That little Bait smile lmaooo. Another gif incoming.

I am a pro now.

Anyway.

Amaya on the side of the elves yes please. But i think she'll do the same Karim did with some kind of I dunno. Not clearing her of guilt completely but sth. Yess compassionate justice pleasee. I feel like they won't listen cause it'd be too good to be true but still. Prolly Karim bribing people won't help. Still not sure if he did.

This catching dragons really reminds me of HTTYD. This boy is the next Hiccup. N'than i love youuu.

Damn for a moment i really thought she'll cut her hands off. Ig that wouldn't really belong on screen but i thought the same for blood so...

this was so good!! I loved it! I actually cried Just hope Janai didn't undermine herself and look weak in the eyes of other elves. I feel like this was also more realistic so they didn't escalate things for no reason. Just show them all trying to get along. Sometimes successfully, other times less so. In love with how Janai said compassion

This entire scene was a masterpiece idc. How the architect broke down crying from relief and stress, the shrine idea, how the elf subtly accepted this as retribution, how it drove a divide between Karim and Janai, how logical the punishment was, it will be the greatest work of my life... just. Peak animation.

I knew it! The Pit of Despair, answer to all our prayers.

Will Karim and Janai fix things or will Karim not be understanding? Again a pretty scene, and Karim doesn't look hostile so far so yayy

I wanted to ask before but how long did Rayla and Soren actually knew each other? Cause i was under the impression that Rayla left practically at the end of se3 but Soren acted like they were kinda close earlier and now Rayla sounds really distressed?

Ohh Karimm lover boyy! Is he going to usurper her? Really?

Lmaoo Soren late to the party😂😂 omgg they're so cuteeee! ✨️friends✨️ for real now

The happiness on his face🥹

OMGG SIBLINGS REUNIONN!!!!

[wizardnachoakiyu]

Ok, so here is what I think:

What will Rayla do? Definitely help Callum free her parents, maybe be forced in a situation where removing the blanket over the pearl (i.e. let Aaravos take control of Callum) seems like the lesser of two evils, and she'll make a difficult choice.

What will Callum do? Free Rayla's parents, discover how to use the Corona and the Nova Blade, and learn Deep Magic. In short, we're about to see Callum get an upgrade 😎

Is Viren dead? Yea...kinda? I think he's no longer alive, but I also think his spirit is somehow tethered to this world. What Rayla saw in TTM seemed to suggest he was somehow between life and death even before he was resurrected, and there's no reason to think that's changed. It's possible he'll come back as a ghost.

If something happens to Rayla, Callum will go crazy. Oh yes.

If something happens to Callum, Rayla will go crazy. Rayla is already going crazy day by day. Oh definitely yes. I think fans have underestimated how dark and dubious Rayla can get and we'll probably see that in the next few seasons.

Will Runaan come back? Yes, along with Tiadrin and Lain, but I also suspect that he might "redeem" himself by making a sacrificial play in s7 or something.

If so, how will his relationship with Ezran be? After all, he was the one who killed his father. Oh yea, Runaan seems to be the one person that Ezran has trouble forgiving or keeping his anger in check around. I think we'll definitely see Ez get tested in this way.

Let's get into it, what will happen now, what will Rayla do, what will Callum do? What is its purpose?So is Viren dead If something happens to Rayla, Callum will go crazy. If something happens to Callum, Rayla will go crazy. Rayla is already going crazy day by day.Will Runaan come back? If so, how will his relationship with Ezran be? After all, he was the one who killed his father.

[notimeforcaution255]

(Repost due to account verification) I wrote a little 1shot because why not

Dear Rayla

As I write this, it’s the night after we escaped from Rex Igneus. I’ve decided to write this letter to you, hoping you’ll never see it. But if you do, you know what happened. That, or I’m giving you this myself to not say things out loud. I don’t know yet, and maybe I never will. Maybe I’m just writing this so I can get my head straight, get a grip on things.

I have spent the last 2 years loving you, Rayla. I never stopped. Not when we had that fight at the moon Nexus, not when I stopped crying long enough to get out of bed in the morning, not when my 16th, and even 17th birthday had come to pass. I want you to know that Rayla. I never stopped loving you.

Even when I was cold, unkind, and distant from you these past few days.

But it hurt, Rayla. It hurt a lot. I had always thought we were a team, and I was, still am, extremely lucky to say we were something more. I still want that. I still want you, to be with you, to hug, kiss, and wake up next to you in the mornings. And I hope you’ll forgive me for this, but despite wanting all that I’m still angry at you. Angry at you for betraying that. That you decided that I was more in need of your protection than your company.

I found a spell not too long after taking the old High Mage’s job. It’s supposed to carry your words to whoever you want, wherever they are. I’ve spent entire nights debating with myself if I should send you one, in the hopes that maybe you’d come back. Maybe, you’d hear my voice and decide that you were done. But I never did, because I don’t think I could bear sending you one, and finding out later that you were dead after all.

That the love of my life was dead somewhere, and I was still talking to her because I didn’t know.

Anyway, I get the feeling I’m rambling a bit. I do hope I find the courage to tell you this, or get the opportunity to. And in case you’ll ever doubt the words I speak, read the ones I’ve written here. Aaravos might manipulate me again, and I don’t want him to hurt you with the love I have for you.

In the letter you left me, I’ve read it over and over and over the last 2 years, You called me cute in my sleep. And while Ez has certainly told me… similar stories, I can’t ever imagine myself looking as sweet as you are right now. I would draw you, it’s what I usually do, but I don’t want this picture to go to waste on the paper. It’d spoil the moment. So, I guess words will just have to do.

The embers are slowly turning gray in the campfire. The smoke coming from the final flickers of light is the only obstruction there is to see the starry night sky, save for the trees surrounding the clearing we’ve made camp in. It’s you who is the most beautiful, though. Resting your head against the trunk of a rather large tree, arms crossed over each other as if to protect yourself from the elements. Your legs slightly spread out, maybe so you don’t fall over. 

I’ve been writing, looking at you for maybe three hours now. I had always hoped, but never dared imagine that I would see you like this once again.

I can’t help but notice that there is a large gap between the roots you sleep between. You’re almost pressed against one of them, but the other… Well, there’s enough room for someone else to sit next to you. Maybe in the future I’ll be the one to occupy that spot. Hopefully. But right now, I’m not going to. It still doesn’t fully feel right. In the meantime I’ll let you sleep, and watch you rest the night away. 

I have said it at the beginning of this letter, but I want to say it again. 

I love you.

I have for the past 2 years.

And I always will.

and I wish I could have said that every day for the past 2 years. I guess we’ll have to make up for that in the future. And if we don’t… Read the previous paragraph again. -Callum

[blutopaz15]

For the hurt/comfort prompts, number 8 please!! :D

Took me a bit here because I couldn't for the life of me work out even these vague setting details...but have some Rayla POV but Callum-centric hurt/comfort!

@shiramoonshadow also requested this one and another! :)

"you don't have to pretend to be alright around me."

hurt/comfort prompts

More and more since they'd been back in Katolis, Rayla found herself alone in the evenings.

...which wasn't really that bad. Sometimes she'd visit with whoever wasn't stuck in the throne room with the boys, or see if the training grounds by the Crownguard barracks were empty, or just wait for Callum, especially if it was before moonrise. 

She couldn't deny, though, how she wished they could go back to how they'd spent their evenings those very first couple of weeks she'd lived here with them: playing rolly-cubes with Ez winning and Soren making a mess of keeping score and Callum drawing between turns while she looked for a chance to sneak a second with her head on his shoulder, or that night that Ez had gotten Barius to bake a dozen different kinds of jelly tarts for her to try, or those times that she and Callum had managed to slip away all alone before the sun had even set...

They'd been too young, then, for all the responsibilities they had now.

The more of those responsibilities—duties, really—that teenaged Ezran took on, the more obligations Callum ended up with too, which lately had meant evening meetings she seldom belonged at. All that responsibility was weighing on them, too, Rayla could tell. Callum kept coming back home to her so much sharper than usual—no doubt having spent the whole time advocating for Ez and mediating discontent—once he finally turned up back in their shared quarters an hour—or sometimes two—after dark.

He was never this late, though...and she hadn't even had to go all the way to the throne room to figure out why.

Even from across the courtyard, she could see how on edge he was���his jaw set and stiff, grumbling at a volume too low to hear, his eyebrows knit together across a tense forehead. Even the way Callum scratched away at his sketchbook was harsh, each line made with heavy, sudden pressure.

"Did something happen?" she asked, unsurprised that he hadn't noticed her approach in the dark with how preoccupied he was with the messy sketch.

Predictably—he'd startled. "Oh," he said, seeing her and immediately melting back down into that sulky, slack posture to continue drawing. "Uh...no. Well, yes, but...it's nothing new. I'm—I'll be fine."

He shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal either...which was a load of fart-flowers. 

She let her hip bump against his shoulder on her way down to the step beside him. 

"Then why are you sitting here trying to scribble a hole into your book?"

His sigh was short as he bookmarked his page with his charcoal.

"It's just...Ez is counting on me, and I'm hurting more than helping with these negotiations." Callum looked down—his cheeks highlighting red with distress—and fidgeted with the seam of his sketchbook. "We...we had a fight after the meeting tonight. I got upset—angry, really—and it was stupid. I'm just...overwhelmed, and I have been for a while. I've been trying to keep it together because I don't want him to feel like he can't ask me for help. I'm supposed to help him, and I want to help him. I just...don't know how."

She'd suspected the gist of those feelings—even though he'd been trying to keep them down—but fighting with Ez...

These were bigger than she'd thought—bigger than stress.

"Did you tell him that?" she asked, her arm slipping around his tense shoulders.

"I was trying to...but it came out all wrong." Callum winced, his mouth staying tilted into a half-hearted smile, his eyes misted over...so heartbreakingly handsome. "You know me."

She did, and she loved what she knew—overactive temper and all.

"I do," she nodded, leaning close to press her lips to his cheek, and she felt his smile widen just a bit as she lingered there, making her wish that he would've told her all this sooner, that she would've pushed him to talk about the pressure. "You don't have to pretend to be alright around me, you know. I get why you'd want to around Ez—he's your little brother—but...I can take it."

"I know," Callum said, tucking his head down against her shoulder. "I just...didn't want you to worry."

"Yeah, cause I've never made you worry before," she teased. Her lips brushed his forehead before she jostled him off her shoulder, squeezing him tight enough to be silly. "Now then, what do you need? More big feelings time? Real big fulminus out here? Tea? Jelly tart?"

Rayla stiffened, realizing that Callum had nuzzled his way against her neck rather than taking her up on any of her suggestions.

"I think I just need to blow off some steam, honestly," he said, adding a ticklish hum against her ear, then kissing the seam of her collar...

"Blow off some steam, huh?" She lifted her chin, and Callum knew to continue. "And you need my help with that, mage?"

"Well, yeah." Callum's lips squished against her cheek as he chuckled in response, kissing his way closer to her lips. "You're the most important part."

[raayllum]

for @jelzorz

Soren has never liked the high mage office much. It was too cramped and cluttered—a far cry from the wide open spaces of the courtyards he sparred in, or battlements he sought for freedom and a nice leg workout—nor does it have a tendency of bringing back any good memories. Just long buried notions, emotions, of Claudia and his father being shut away in here, discussing things Soren couldn't quite wrap his head around, holding jars full of gross creepy-crawlies or things Soren didn't want to know the name of.

The mirror, now shattered. Not that it matters.

But Soren stays once everyone else—even a worried Rayla, and a terse Opeli—has left as Callum tidies up his space.

The mage sets down another thick tome, white shock of hair falling in front of his eyes, and Soren wonders how long it'll take for all of them to get used to it. If Callum already has, or if he's stubbornly ignoring it the way he has with so much else—even the girl he got it for, once, the first week of her return.

"Spit it out, Soren," Callum grumbles, looking up with fresh bags under his eyes, too.

"What?" Soren feigns, stepping closer. "I can't just hang back."

"You never have before, and you clearly have something to say, so—"

"Callum." Soren steps in front of him. Places a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Callum softens, shoulders sagging with exhaustion. "I'm fine," he says, voice brittle and reedier than normal. "I just... Need to figure out how I'm going to fix this."

"Aaravos."

He hadn't gotten out, but it'd been a near thing, from Callum's bluntness around the topic—but Rayla's guilty eyes would've given it away even if she'd evaded saying it outright best she could. They were lucky in some ways that all that'd happened was Callum passing out. The white streak.

Callum nods. "There'll be an answer, somewhere. I just have to find it." His lips twitched. "But... thanks, for checking on me, I know I—"

Soren takes his hand away. "I'm not checking in on you."

"Oh? Okay, um—"

He meets his gaze levelly. They'd stood in this room once, in front of the mirror, having the same conversation of sorts. The familiarity makes everything in Soren ache, thrice fold. "I'm warning you. You're changing, Callum."

The shrewdness comes back up as Callum peels away, scoffing a little. He sets down his book. His blasted stupid Key of Aaravos. "You're going to have to be a little more specific."

"You know what I mean," Soren advances. "Claudia didn't want to listen to me either. Viren—"

"I'm not like them," Callum chokes out, though Soren can tell he doesn't quite believe it. It's more that he wants to. "If I was, Rayla would—"

"She loves you."

For all the strain they've had over the years, Callum's response is sure, if spitting. "And you don't?"

"I do," Soren affirms. "But don't pretend like you and her don't lose sight of other things when it comes to each other. I just want you to be careful, Callum. I don't want it to swallow you up the way it did them. The... The hair, the face—the justifications. That's always how it starts. That's always how it ends."

Callum turns away, pressing his lips together. He wipes at his burning eyes, clearly furious. At what, Soren can't say. Himself, maybe—or the world for what it was twisting him into, for the way it kept putting Ez and Rayla on the line, only for him to keep crossing it.

"You kill me, then," Callum says. "If Rayla won't, and you think I've gone too far. Possession or not. You stabbed Viren once, didn't you? I'm sure I'll be just as easy."

Which means not easy at all. Soren's heart clenches. "Callum—"

"I would do anything for them. I can't promise less than that. I don't—" Callum runs a hand through his hair, white lock between his fingers, throwing his distressed expression further into the light. "I don't like what I'm becoming either, I..."

He looks so young, and Soren takes a beat to remind himself that Callum is just seventeen, and wants to do the right thing, and maybe being unwilling to sacrifice people—But Dad, Soren could've died! That doesn't matter!—could be the way through. Maybe. Hopefully.

"I just don't want you to change too much," Soren ventures, stepping forward.

Callum lets him, the way he'd let the snake rattle stain his hands on Finnegrin's boat—the quasar diamonds and their dark magic turning his hair—and sighs. "I know," he quiets. "I—I'll try, at least."

Soren just hopes it'll be enough.

[uniquepeachfox]

“gotta say my favorite part of your response is where you simplify a multifaceted character down to "love interest."”

Lol except for five seconds in the finale, her entire character arc this season is built around getting close to Callum. She basically is just a love interest at this point.

“regardless, it does matter if corvus is a main character or not in this context. because he's not central to the narrative, we don't know much about his personality and relationship even with soren. i do agree they have great potential for a great friendship, but we're not going to see a lot of that that because of his distance from the main character(s).”

Oh, bullshit. TDP raises side characters to more prominent roles all the time. Janai was a side character in s2, and now her character arc was 1/3 the storyline in s4. If they want to build out Corvus and his relationship with Soren in s5, there’s nothing stopping them. And considering the cutscene that was released, it looks like that’s definitely a distinct possibility.

”you missed the entire point(s) where i said i wanted soren and rayla to grow closer and that they're foils to each other...and a key part of being a foil to another character is opposing them in one way or another, so soren calling rayla out on her mistakes is in character for him without being an antagonist towards her.”

😂😂😂 that’s not what a foil is. A foil is a character with key traits that oppose or parallel another character. Soren has a closer foil relationship with Ez and Callum than he does with Rayla, and Rayla has a closer foil relationship with Claudia than she does with Soren. There’s nothing to foil between them, and even if there was, that doesn’t necessitate that two characters have to be all buddy-buddy with one another; Callum and Viren are the most prominent foil relationship in the series, and they hardly speak with one another, let alone have a sibling relationship with one another.

“you are correct to say that their relationship now is based off missions and rayla fucking up when it came to callum, but its truly baffling how you think that that is going to remain stagnant. soren and rayla are both former "badies," in that they opposed callum and ez, but made their own decisions that led them to be who they are in the present. they are not by any means stagnant characters.”

Yes, they were both antagonistic to Callum and Ezran, and now they’re not. What’s your point? That they should bond over it? Lol.

”soren "jostles" with corvus and callum for minutes in 4x01 before plot happens so this being your argument on what, that soren can't have other people he's close to? it's just a weak argument.”

Yes, it’s a weak straw man argument. I obviously didn’t say that Soren can’t have other close people. He obviously does, namely Ez, Opeli, etc. and probably Zubeia and Pyrrah now. The point here is to show who Soren’s closest bros appear to be, and right now that’s Callum and Corvus. 4x01 shows he has a rapport with them that he doesn’t with Rayla.

“soren is a kind and caring person. he knows what it's like to fuck up in regards to the people closest to you. hell, he tries to kill ez in season 1. but what makes him kind and caring is his empathy. he tries to reason with claudia before defecting in season 3 and he tries to reason with her again in season 4. he is exactly the kind of person to understand rayla royally screwing up but not being an unforgivable character.”

Lol now THAT is a weak argument. Yes, he’s a kind and compassionate person, which is why he doesn’t hold a grudge against Rayla essentially abandoning him for shitty reasons. That doesn’t mean he’s suddenly going to have a sibling relationship with literally every person he meets.

“reducing her to callum's (ex?) girlfriend is the same as reducing soren to the himbo-jock character, and he's so much more than that.”

Funny enough, people have made the claim that Soren was essentially flanderized this season as a himbo-jock, but that’s neither here nor there. Rayla’s entire character arc this season is built around getting back with Callum. This is not reducing her to anything, it’s just an apt description.

”while soren is friends and close ones at that with callum and corvus, he still works for/with them. not to diminish callum or corvus's friendship with soren, but, as rayla said herself in the s3 episode where corvus tells ez that harrow is dead, ez is not her king, and she's not a citizen of katolis. soren having a friendship with rayla has none of the strings attached that his friendship with the others has, so to see a friendship develop between them is a friendship completely of their own choosing.”

Lol way to make the antithesis of a good point. Soren has a close friendship with Callum and Corvus BECAUSE he works with them. They’re comrade-in-arms. They’re all bound together to protecting their king. And as you said, Rayla as no strings attached, meaning that she can just up and abandon Soren when she feels frustrated with him. Something that Soren’s true bros would never do to him.

things i would find cool in s5 of tdp

rayllum

a zuko alone style episode on what rayla did in the two years on her own

rayllum

ez and callum being the adorable sibling duo they are

ez and callum big feelings time

rayllum

soren and rayla being bros

soren telling callum "shhh the grownups are talking" when he tries to but in on sorens conversation with rayla

rayllum

soren and rayla big feelings time (preferably with each other)

nyx (since she's in the promo art) making fun of rayllum

human rayla/elf callum

return of callums deep thoughts on sandwiches

RAYLLUM

[beautifulterriblequeen]

Were you the person who had a post about "what if Rayla had died on the mission and Runaan had lived"? I was thinking about that... is there a possible scenario where Rayla had escaped with the egg and princes the same way as in canon, but Runaan and the other assassins had survived and now believed Rayla was dead and both somehow missed each other? The angst possibilities from Runaan's end, at least until he got back to Silvergrove, but even then he would angst over having 'abandoned' Rayla...

You know, I don't remember making a post like that, but I can tell it's an angst I could get behind, so maybe I did?

Fam, I love a good honest misunderstanding, oh man, those are great! Very tasty stuff. So let's see here... oh gosh this really took off, huh? Yas.

________________________

"Runaan, please," Rayla begged, planting herself between her mentor and her new allies the human princes, "this is a miracle, a chance for peace."

"No," came a smug, raspy voice from behind her, "it's not."

Rayla whirled in surprise. How had the dark mage gotten free of her manacle so quickly?

Claudia stood beside Callum, smirking confidently and holding the primal stone she'd just stolen back from him. But her smirk dropped at the sound of Runaan's bowstring. A green-fletched arrow whispered past Rayla's shoulder, headed for the dark mage's heart. Rayla's eyes widened as she realized she was about to watch her first human die.

"No!" Callum held his sketchbook in front of Claudia's chest. Runaan's arrow punched through it with a heavy thunk. Claudia, Callum, and Rayla stared at its poison-dipped broadhead in shock. The deadly metal fell just short of cutting through Claudia's tunic.

Rayla spun back to face the older assassin. "Runaan, wait-" But he was already loosing another arrow. Rayla cut it out of the air.

"Callum!" Ezran called plaintively. Bait, perched in his hair, croaked too.

"Get out of here," Rayla told the humans. "And keep that egg safe." She spared Claudia a single glare.

Runaan began striding closer, and he whipped another arrow from his quiver and nocked it. Rayla knew he'd loose that last arrow before he got close enough to use his swords instead. And that, she did not want to see at any distance. Not when so much else was at stake!

"That's far enough, elf," Claudia called threateningly. She held up the primal stone and began to chant in Ancient Draconic. The air started to crackle with lightning.

"Claudia, wait!" Callum shouted. He grabbed her wrist again, but this time, the primal stone wobbled and fell as they both scrabbled for control of it. Rayla gasped, watching it tumble. Neither of them were going to be able to catch it. She suddenly wasn't sure she wanted to, either. She shot Runaan a regretful, pleading look.

Runaan's arrow loosed. With everyone in motion, Rayla couldn't be sure if Callum would be in his line of fire when it arrived. She folded her swords and turned her back on her mentor, squeezed her eyes shut, and stepped into its path.

"Rayla!" Runaan's voice cracked the air like a whip.

"Rayla, look out!" Ezran shouted.

The primal stone hit the stone walkway and shattered.

The first massive gust of wind struck Rayla and tumbled her just as Runaan's arrow found its mark. With a cry of surprise, Rayla rolled across the high stone walkway, flanked by Claudia, Callum, and Ezran, who was somehow still holding onto the egg. Rayla thumped against the parapet and scrabbled for a grip against one of its crenellated edges, feeling her feet kicking in midair while a screeching gale scattered everyone and everything that had been on the castle roof a moment ago.

Runaan stood on the other side of the walkway, barely on his feet as he braced against the wind. His ponytail whipped like an angry snake, but his face was full of pain and alarm. "Rayla!" he shouted.

"Runaan..." Why was her voice so weak? Shouldn't she want his help?

Crumpled against the crenellated wall below Rayla's tenacious grip, Callum, Claudia, Ezran and Bait huddled together for dear life.

"Rayla, this isn't what I wanted!" Runaan shouted over the wind. He tried to stagger toward her through the strongest of the winds, but they only shoved him back against the far parapet.

"Claudia, help her!" Callum called.

But Claudia was distracted by the alarming amount of rainbow-hued magic that had begun crackling off the egg of the Dragon Prince. "What's happening?" she blurted.

"Help..." Rayla called.

"Fine, I'll help her, then!" Callum stood in the storm and reached for Rayla's hands.

Another arrow zipped past, whirling madly off target in the howling wind. Callum flinched back, then grasped Rayla's hands firmly. "I've got you!"

"And I've got him!" Claudia said. She pulled a glowing orange thing from her bag and started chanting, and she squished the orange shape until it oozed meatily between her fingers. Its gory remains caught fire, quickly swelling to a fervent blue heat that made the princes flinch away.

"No!" Rayla's grip slipped in shock, but Callum braced his feet hard and held on tight.

Then Claudia threw it, just as the storm grew an eye of calm.

Runaan was already leaping high with his swords in his hands. The fireball landed directly beneath him. Rayla's last sight of her mentor, as the blast struck Callum and forced her hands free of his, was of Runaan's tumbling, silent figure flying back over the outer wall of the castle and vanishing into the fury of the storm.

Was he coming to save me, or to kill me? she wondered as she fell too, engulfed by the same winds that took him. She closed her eyes, expecting to meet her fate, but a fluffy and overstuffed cart of hay had other ideas and Rayla flopped safely down into the courtyard.

Her first instinct was to jump up and go find Runaan. But then she remembered: his side of the castle roof had a much farther drop. She'd finished climbing it herself not an hour ago. And with all those rocks dotting the river, she couldn't imagine how he'd survive such a fall.

"Oh no... Ethari, I'm so sorry," she murmured brokenly.

But the storm was only growing stronger, and the rainbow lightning up on the roof grew brighter and brighter. Rayla stared in awe and amazement. Was the egg... hatching?

A newborn dragonling would need more protection than an egg. She scrambled out of the hay and darted through the wind, trying to find her way back up. Before she could, though, the storm wore itself out, and she ran into Callum, Ezran, and Bait as they bolted down a curving flight of stairs.

Rayla whipped out her swords. "Where's the dark mage?" she demanded.

"She ran to find her dad," Ezran said.

"Yeah, , but after she got giant heart eyes and squeed over the baby dragon," Callum added, looking starry-eyed in a conflicted way.

"The wot?" Rayla asked.

"Look!" Ezran opened his coat and showed her a cuddly, fluffy dragonling nestled quietly against his chest.

Bait grumbled, but Rayla gasped in delight and held the dragon's little face. "Oh, he's just so cute! Why is he allowed to be so cute?" she demanded playfully.

"His name is Zym," Ezran said.

"Hello, Zym," Rayla said quietly, ruffling his soft fluff. The dragonling sniffed at her hand and licked it, and then he nipped at her binding ribbon, pulling it off. Rayla stared at it in shock, allowing Zym the opportunity to nibble off the other ribbon, too. "Huh," Rayla mused. "Guess these things were just decorative after all."

They ran to the bottom of the stairs and began to hurry toward the main gate. "But what about Dad?" Ezran asked, looking worriedly at the uneven towers.

"He'll be alright," Callum said. "He has the finest guards in the kingdom defending him."

"Yeah, of course!" Ezran piped up.

Without Runaan, the others won't stand much chance, Rayla thought angstily. They'll soon fall too, if they haven't already-

"Rayla, uh..." Callum gingerly touched something stuck in the back of Rayla's hoodie. "You've got something on your back. Ez, go hide for just a second, okay? I need to help Rayla with something."

"...Okay, but hurry," Ezran whispered, as he darted into a shadowy tunnel. "Bait, no glowing, he didn't mean that kind of hiding."

"It's an arrow," Callum murmured to her, once Ez was out of earshot. "Is it, um, does it hurt? I didn't want him to have to see any blood or anything..."

The arrow. Rayla straightened her shoulders to see if she'd actually been hit. "I think it just missed me," she said lightly, not wanting to think about what would've happened if it had pierced even one more layer of clothing and scratched her skin with its deadly poison.

Callum tugged it out of the cloth and awkwardly offered it to her. Rayla took it and stared for a moment. The arrow's shaft had broken when she fell, and it dangled like a felled bird in her grip.

Runaan. He'd fallen, too. Probably permanently. Rayla's shoulders slumped, and she added, "I... We need to hurry. They'll be comin' for us soon, and it's a long journey to Xadia."

"Rayla!" It was Callisto, perched overhead in full Moonshadow form. "Where's- It's done?" he blurted, interrupting himself. His eyes locked onto Rayla's wrists.

A clamor of guards ahead drew his attention, and he leaped toward them, staff at the ready. Rayla grabbed Callum by the arm and ran, snagging Ezran's sleeve a dozen steps later. "Don't look back," she hissed, shifting into full Moonshadow form mid-stride. They didn't need to know she was only talking to herself.

In a few minutes, they reached the forest. Its cool shadows swallowed them whole, and they ran all night. There was no reason to wait anymore.

***

Runaan woke to gentle hands pulling him from the water. He coughed himself awake and sat up slowly, holding his head. When his focus returned, he shot an alarmed glance at the sky and saw that the Moon had nearly set. "We must hurry-" he began, trying to stand.

Four sets of hands pressed him back onto the grass.

"Easy, Runaan," Callisto said. "It's done. It's over. We can go home."

With wide-eyed disbelief, Runaan checked Callisto's wrists, then Andromeda's. Then Ram's and Skor's, too. Their binding ribbons were indeed gone.

A strange sort of lightness flitted through Runaan's chest, heady, intoxicating, and refreshing, erasing his injuries--or his perception of them, at least. His reward for a job well done. The ribbons around his biceps loosened and turned red before drifting to the grass as softly as newly fallen leaves.

Runaan reached back for his shadowhawk arrow and found his quiver gone. No... Ethari's arrow! He scanned his squad's expressions hopefully.

"Sorry. We couldn't find it. But we did find your bowblade," Skor said, offering it.

Runaan took it gratefully, feeling a bit of calm returning along with the familiar weight in his hands.

"We did it. We actually did it," Andromeda said as she got to her feet. Her smile beamed like the Moon. "I can't wait to get home."

"Unless Runaan needs a moment first," Callisto said mildly.

"No, we should leave now, and we should hurry," Runaan said. "Without the shadowhawk, the Queen of the Dragons will be waiting on my personal word. I should not keep her, not in her condition." The rest of his team stood immediately, and he took the hand Callisto offered and stood with focused effort. "We only need to make one stop along the way."

But the rock he'd parked Rayla on was empty. And so were the next dozen rocks. "You're certain you saw her?" he said, clasping Calisto by the shoulders, turquoise gaze boring into his eyes.

"Aye, clear as moonlight," he replied. "But only for a moment. And..."

"What?"

"The human with her pulled your... a-an arrow... from..." Callisto looked aside awkwardly.

"If she took even a scratch..." Andromeda breathed.

"Shh," Skor hushed her.

The assassins went quiet, waiting respectfully.

Runaan's eyes widened. He thought he'd struck true when Rayla stepped into the path of his arrow. Then he thought he'd missed, when she survived long enough to cling to the parapet and call his name. Then he thought the explosion had taken her. Then, hope again, only to have it ripped away one final time. He knew how terribly deadly his chosen poison was. His face froze in a mask of pain, and he shut his eyes. He felt like he was falling from the parapet again, except this time, there wouldn't be any merciful oblivion to put him out of his misery at the bottom. There'd never be a bottom to this fall from grace.

Ethari gave me one job. And I failed him. Does he know yet? Did he watch her flower sink?

Runaan gulped and gritted his teeth. Mourning would have to wait with all his other feelings. He still had a job to do.

He stood straight, gripping his bowblade, and met everyone's eyes, one by one. "We run for home. Ethari can make me a new arrow there. Move out."

They flowed into motion, and Runaan let them take the lead. It was only logical to track and follow the other elves, he reasoned, since he was having such trouble seeing the forest clearly through the tears in his eyes.

[zuppizup]

Work in Progress Wednesday - Life is what happens…

A sudden gust of wind buffeted them, making Rayla grimace as she crouched down and shielded Tio’s body with her own. She squinted into the breeze, trying to fix her eyes on Callum. He had clearly conjured this gale, using it to help propel him home.

A dark figure alighted on the battlements, stumbling onto the rough sandstone beside her. The wind dropped as suddenly as it appeared and Rayla looked up to find Callum swaying and looking pale, his wings hanging heavy by his sides.

“Callum!” Rayla dropped Tio’s hand as she ran to him, cushioning his fall as he stumbled to his knees. “You pushed yourself too hard,” she admonished, frowning at his sweaty brow and heaving chest.

Callum merely shook his head, smiling softly at her and then Tio behind her, clearly too out of breath to protest verbally.

Tio ran up to him, a bright grin in her little face as she threw her arms around his shoulders. “Dada!” She squealed loudly, hanging off his neck.

Laughing, Callum plonked onto his rear, wrapping his still winged arms around her as he struggled to slow his breathing.

Ezran sighed, stepping closer to them all, a frown on his face. “Well, did you find anything?”

“Oh, for the-” Rayla jumped to her feet, putting herself between Callum and Ezran as she struggled to control her temper. She rarely got upset with Ez, but after the stress of the past few days, her patience with everything asked of Callum was wearing thin. “Can’t you see he can barely speak, Ez. Give him a minute to catch his breath.”

- Excerpt from current multi-chapter fic in my Life is what happens… series, featuring Callum, Rayla and their daughter, Tio.

[jelzorz]

152.

When Rayla says her parents, Ezran imagines a mom and a dad, or maybe mom and a mom, or a dad and a dad. He imagines they're people that look like her and sound like her, people who share her sense of humour and took care of Zym when he was an egg at the Storm Spire. He imagines people he would like.

He does not imagine that one of them is the elf that killed his father.

The thought by itself makes him mad. King Harrow was a good king, a just king, and a loving dad who was only doing his best. He didn't have to be assassinated. He didn't have to die. He shouldn't have died, and yeah, his dad did bad things too, but he recognised that, didn't he? His last letter to him and Callum told them that they were free, that they didn't have to continue on this stupid path and this stupid war, that their decisions were theirs and theirs alone. Rayla was fifteen when it all happened, still a child by most standards, raised to be an assassin and sent on a mission to kill him, and she still made the decision not to for a chance at peace. Runaan knew about the egg, they showed it to him and everything, and he still—

Ezran scowls.

It's a whole mess. It gives him feelings he doesn't want and anger he doesn't know what to do with. Rayla keeps the coins with her at all times, and there are moments he just wants to toss them into the ocean or melt them down into something else but how can he do that without hurting her? Without causing her the same pain Runaan caused him?

And when Callum had offered to help—

Ez doesn't like thinking about it. He'd been so angry. He said things he shouldn't have. He and Callum fought like they've never fought before, and at the end of it all...

He's sitting at the edge of a boardwalk now, feet dangling over the edge, the leather of his boots dark with water as he skims his toes over the surface of the sea. He's never hated someone like this before. He's never felt rage or sadness or grief so big.

"You okay?"

Ez sniffles and doesn't look up, even as Rayla drops into the spot next to him and leans her elbows on her knees.

"Fine," he mutters. "What—um—what's up?"

Rayla pauses, her lips pursed, her eyes searching and sad. She was there. She saw the fight. Ez feels like he should apologize but there's a part of him that doesn't want to. Why should he? Is it so wrong for him to hate the elf that killed his dad?

"You don't have to be fine," she says at last. "I know there isn't... really much I can say. Runaan... was like a dad to me but—"

"Don't excuse him," he snaps. His throat hurts. He curls his hands into fists. "Don't."

"I wasn't going to."

"Weren't you?" Ez scowls at her, his anger getting the better of him, growing bigger than he can control. "But what? But it wasn't his fault? But he was just following orders? You had the same orders and you didn't follow through. You were fifteen! You could have lost your hand! What the hell was his excuse?"

"Ezran..."

"Don't Ezran me! He killed my dad! And you and Callum want—" He stops. He swallows. He's crying again, he thinks, but he doesn't care. "I don't care that he was like a dad to you," he snarls. "He killed mine! He killed mine knowing that he didn't have to! And he gets to come out of the coin? He gets to live and my dad doesn't?"

"I'm sorry, Ez—"

"Stop it! Don't act like that means anything! Sorry's not going to bring him back!"

Rayla says nothing to that. She fiddles with her fingers, head bowed, her hair over her eyes, and in the pause, Ezran sees it—the shake in her shoulders, the tears on her cheeks. His anger falters. He hadn't meant—

"I'm sorry," he mutters at last, but Rayla shakes her head.

"You're allowed to be angry," she says. "You're right to be. Sometimes being angry is part of the grief." She sniffles. "I don't blame you for not wanting us to do it. I wouldn't want to, if I were you."

"But you're still going to."

Rayla doesn't answer.

Ezran looks away. The silence between them hurts, but he leans against her anyway, not because it's okay, but because she's basically his sister, and grief and anger and big feelings are easier when they're shared. Her arm curls around his back, a promise that she's there for him no matter what happens, no matter what he feels, and they sit together, and cry together, until it feels like there's nothing left.

"I wish things were different," whispers Rayla.

Ez sniffles. "Yeah," he mutters. "Me too."

[numptypylon]

For today, I thought I would share a bit of a super early days WIP idea that won’t leave me alone, so I suppose it’s very likely to be my next long story, after I finish Upside Downtime and Down to Earth, which is drawing close now.

It’ll be an early canon divergence story, where Sarai survives, causing a greater rift between Harrow and Viren as the years pass, culminating in civil war, Harrow being killed and Viren taking throne of Katolis. Sarai flees to Xadia with her boys, since Ezran has a big ol’ target on his back, and they find shelter and more in Rayla’s childhood treehouse. Starring Sarai, Callum, Ezran, Rayla, Runaan and Ethari. ‘To a Halt’ is just a working title, may change.

I’ll share a few carefully-cropped-to-be-non-spoilery sketches, and an excerpt from when Rayla first encounters the little human family.

Rayla heard the voices from the meadow up ahead before she saw anyone… just little bits of things.

“Callum… they like it snug!”

“-told me! You keep not belie-”

“Ez! Raccoons! Nuff said!”

“-boys not-”

Rayla wanted to know what a raccoon was, and people didn’t always tell her things, and besides, assassins were supposed to be sneaky.

So, she dropped to the ground, creeping forward, making no sound.

The voices got clearer, as she got closer.

There were three people there, a woman and two boys, she thought, one a lot younger than her. She didn’t recognize them, which was weird, she knew everyone in the Silvergrove. And they talked all funny.

“Mom, we can stay for a bit longer, right?” The older boy. “It’s so nice here.” A pause, before he spoke again, and it was like… there was something more in what he said. Something heavy. “And… Ez really likes it here.”

‘Moooom’. All drawn out and weird.

“We have to get going soon.” The… mom. She sounded worried, even though it was a nice evening and the Moonshadow watched over this area and it was safe as anything, here.

“But the poofies need their home! It’ll be dark soon, and we’re almost done! And I can understand the poofies and am a really good delegator, and Callum is a really good grass-weaver, so it works out to a top-notch poofie-house-team!” The younger boy. He wasn’t that young though, and who knew the word ‘delegator’, but not what an adoraburr was?

He sounded sweet though, wanting to make a house for the adoraburrs. She did sometimes, too. But one Rayla had not made a good poofie-house-team.

Maybe she could join theirs?

Pfft.

She was 15, and training to be an assassin and that thought had really popped into her head?

“We’ll be quick, Ez. Mom is right, we can’t stay.” The older boy… Callum… sounded sad about it. Maybe they needed shelter? Maybe they were Earthblood and that’s why they talked all weird? They definitely didn’t sound Sunfire, but Earthblood elves passed through here sometimes, she knew, she had just never met one. “The poofies will be okay. They live here.”

The younger boy sniffled. “They’re lucky. Living here. Living… anywhere.”

“Hey!” The older boy again, an illusion of being happy. But Rayla could tell he was scared. “We’ll be okay, too. We’ll live somewhere. Someday. I’ll weave you a big house made of grass. This little house is just practice for the big one that we’ll live in, one day!”

Rayla’s heart hurt for the sweet, wee boy without a home and his big brother being so brave for him, and she stood up before she could think, because of course they could have a place to live, at least for a bit, Ethari would never turn away anyone- “Hey, you can stay with us-”

A lot of things happened at once.