Chapter Text
“I am,” Callum said, standing in front of Ezran, “I’m Prince Ezran.”
“Ca--” Ezran started, but Callum cut him off with a wave of his hand.
The elf narrowed her eyes at him, and he wondered if she believed him. “Are you here to kill me?” Callum asked, trying to seem braver than he was.
She set her jaw, trying to decide what she would do now. Whatever it was, it would happen soon.
Not soon enough. “Callum, Ezran, don’t stray too--” Soren said, following them off the path, freezing at the sight of the elf.
The elf glanced back, breaking her threat against Callum, charging down Soren instead, who drew his sword just in time for it to clang against hers. Callum backed away, protecting Ezran from the fight.
“Wait,” Ezran said, “Wait, I can stop this!”
“Stay back, Ez,”
“No, but please!” Ezran cried out as Soren and the elf continued to fight. She was more dextrous, easily dodging and jumping off the trees to try and manuever past Soren’s defenses. But Soren was a brick wall, Callum knew this from practicing with him. “There’s no need to fight!”
“Tell that to her!” Soren cried out, knocking back one of the elf’s attacks, but she recovered. She was about to launch herself at Soren once again, when Ezran took something out of his bag.
Callum, Soren, and the elf all stared in wonder at the glowing egg in Ezran’s hands.
“It’s--” Soren began.
“The dragon prince…” The elf said, mouth hanging open. “But it was destroyed. The Dragon Prince was destroyed!”
“Ez, where did you get that?” Callum said, reaching his arm out to it.
“From my father, I assume,” Claudia said, coming to join them as well. She held out her hand, “Give it to me, Ezran.”
Soren’s gaze flickered from Claudia to Ezran and back. “Claudia, you knew of this?”
Claudia’s eyes did not move from Ezran, “Father confiscated it from the elves,” She answered, “It was to be used as a weapon against humankind.”
“A WEAPON?” The elf said, frowning, “It’s an egg! A child! It belongs with his mother.”
Claudia ignored her, her attention focused on Ezran. Ezran clutched the egg to himself, protectively. “Give it to me, Ezran.” she said, “I’ll take care of it.”
Ezran gulped, “He wants it’s mother,” he he said, definitively, “He needs to be brought back to her.”
“So what?” Soren said, “You want to take the egg past all the way through Katolis across the Breach and into Xadia to find the Queen of Dragons and just hope she doesn’t EAT you?!”
Callum looked at them, at how the egg had stopped the fighting. “It could be a sign of peace,” Callum said. “Just think of it, Princes of a human kingdom bringing back the dragon prince. It could end this war!”
“Or begin it,” Soren argued back. “Besides, who’s going to take you, her?” He pointed his sword at the elf, “The one who tried to kill you 3 seconds ago?”
“I want this war to end as much as anyone,” Rayla said, “If you want to go, I will take you.”
Callum looked to Claudia and Soren, “We could use your help too,” Callum said, “My father did ask you to protect us. So do it.”
“Callum, the best protection for you would be if I took the egg back to my father,” Claudia said, “and let Soren take you over to the Winter Lodge.”
“Claudia,” Ezran said, “It’s not a weapon. I can hear it. You have to trust me.”
Claudia frowned at him, his determination not wavering even a moment.
The staredown was interrupted by the sound of Soren sheathing his sword. “Alright, fine, but we’re stopping at the winter lodge first. I want to sleep in a bed once more.”
Claudia finally looked up at him. “...Fine,” she said. Her gaze turned back to Rayla, “I will protect you. From whatever comes our way.”
The elf narrowed her eyes, but fell in line with them as they got back on their horses and rode forward.