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The party was bustling. It was by far the biggest annual peace gathering Xadia had seen. For the past three years, since the battle at Storm Spire, elves and humans had been gathering in differing strongholds. The idea had been proposed by Regent Amaya. The first had been held at Lux Aurea, the second at Duren, the third; The Lunan Citadel.
Rayla had never been to the Citadel. It was breathtaking just traveling up in the carriage. It was housed on a leveled mountain, base carved from the purple stone, and the rest added on. It had three main domes of crisscrossing silver pillars, forming a ceiling. It was an architectural design used all over moonshadow territory, but something told Rayla it originated here. The moon was just coming up when Katolis arrived, it was inching up higher now.
It was a few long moments away from reaching its peak, Rayla heard the stories. The Lunan Citadel was built high for a reason, it's silver pillars and lattice wire-work framing one thing; the moon. Rayla had heard from party goers that the whole Citadel lit up, bestrewn in silver moonlight. She couldn't wait. The thought filled her with excitement.
Like many guests at the party, Rayla chose glitter for her dress. The gauzy layers of teal fabric were covered in crystals. It shined anytime she moved, like starlight. Moonshaodw and fading starlight. Amaya had said.
There were so many moonshadow elves in the room, there were many other different kinds of elves, but it didn't shock Rayla as much. Moonshadow elves were reserved and close knit, you didn't meet many others outside of your guild. But there had to be hundreds of them in the ballroom. And they were mingling.
It was an odd sight indeed.
Amaya was speaking with Ethari, who was quite dapper in his purple tux. It had silver lace trains attached at the shoulders, the transparent textile reached to the floor, pale color matching the half-moon mask he wore. Runnan's outfit was much the same, except a deep blue, with his lace trains running down his arms, ending at his knees like bat wings. His face was covered with the other half of the moon, matching Ethari.
A pair -when together- full.
There were many guests wearing makes, but Rayla always hated how sticky they got after an hour of use. She left her face plain, save for her tattoos. Simple, quick. Their meaning the same since the day she first got them; pledge.
Janai sided up to Amaya, placing a glass of mulled wine, a deep red, almost black. Her outfit was dripping in gold. A dress with a neckline creeping up her throat. It ended in full bell shaped sleeves. The opulent fabric was adored with droplet shaped blown glass, dipped in gold, near the trim and neckline. The rest was covered in golden shards of thin glass, glinting in the fast growing moonlight.
The moon was almost at its peak, Rayla's breath quickened. The party guests were getting talkative, as if idle conversation could make time pass faster. Make the magic come quicker. Maybe it would, Rayla wouldn't know. For all her excitement at being at the Lunan Citadel annual peace gathering, Rayla wasn't -it turned out- a people person.
The wallpaper was a gentle turquoise, with dark silver swirls dancing on it. Rayla with her -albeit glittery- turquoise dress, might be one of those swirls. A wallflower. Some one had to fill the role, and Rayla took it upon herself to do so with elegance and grace.
She told herself that, anyway.
She slumped a little, her grape wine sloshing in her silver goblet. She studied the blue gems embedded in the rim. Her warped reflection looked back at her.
Amaya was laughing. It was a pleasant shock, the Regent almost never laughed in such immense company. Rayla had only heard it when Ezran had pulled them all into a game, hide and seek being the one with the most breathy giggles. Amaya always chose such an obvious place to hide. Both Rayla and Janai had stared in confusion as the Katolis royal family burst into fits of laughter, Callum had explained it later, when they were gazing at the Lux Aurea sunset.
It's a joke. He had said, kicking his bare feet against the golden roof railing.
I think I got that. Rayla had replied, locking her fingers with his. She had then -and still now- loved how utterly perfect her fingers were for his, not just that her three fit right in the slots of his four, but just how right it felt. Like it was made to fit, like it was made for her palm to rest right against his.
No I mean, he continued. When me and Ez were little, we used to beg aunt Amaya to play hide and seek, it was our mother Sarai's favorite game-
That was the Queen right? The scholar who married Harrow.
Yeah, anyway, aunt Amaya was so bad at hide and seek, she could never find a good spot, even if we gave her a lot of time. So it just became a game of the worst place she could find, since she already had a knack for it.
Rayla had laughed. Humans are so weird.
Oh c'mon, don't tell me elves don't have inside jokes?
A what? she had lied. Rayla had managed to convince Callum that elves didn't know what inside jokes were for two whole days before Janai had told them Amaya explained the hide and seek thing. Callum had held a finger up in the air, and when Rayla walked into the kitchens after a restful night's sleep, he pointed it to her, mock accusing.
You. he had cried. How dare you.
She didn't stop laughing for a very long time.
Amaya was wearing a dark navy two piece set. The pants slit went up to the thighs, revealing her muscled legs. The top was a ravishing fitted tank with silver thread detailing and a plunging neckline. A cape attached at the shoulders, covered in silver shards of glass. With blown glass droplets detailing the trim.
Glitter seemed to be everyone's theme. And matching, apparently.
Rayla looked to the ceiling, almost time. Everyone was getting ready to dance. She scanned around. Where was Callum? He had left her after she profusely said to enjoy the party, and to come and find her when the moon was at its peak and everyone started to dance. That was now, people were already pairing off.
Ethari and Runaan were dancing, their foreheads touching, and Amaya was leading Janai to the center of the room. A knowing smile flitted onto Rayla's lips, she used to think she and Callum would be the first elf and human marriage, but now the Katolis Regent and Sunfire Queen might beat them. With the way Amaya let her hand slide lower, cupping Janai's back, pulling her close. With the way Janai was lacing her fingers through Amaya's hair, letting her cheek rest on the general's forehead, it couldn't be far off.
Rayla had never attended a wedding, Runaan and Ethari were already married when she became their ward. She guessed it would be fun. With Amaya and Janai as the brides, she knew it would be.
She spotted Callum. He wore dark brown loose leggings, paired with a loose deep crimson dress shirt, finished with golden trim. His lighter crimson overcoat was patterned with gold thread in vague, vase shapes. His boots were a fancier version of his normal beatdown ones, with gold detailing and lighter leather patches running along the backs. A lacy, cream neck scarf was wrapped around his neck. In the three years Rayla had known him, he had grown so much. His dark tumble of hair was longer, covering his ears. He had grown into his face, his features becoming more prominent. His green jewel eyes more striking. He even matched her in height now.
To say nothing of the sheer confidence he radiated. Rayla had seen him grown as a person, and as a mage. It was inspiring and made her a bit prideful. Callum was nowhere near the social bird one might expect from a crown prince, but he was far better at being around others than Rayla. He threw back his head in laughter. Clapping a hand on a human party guest's shoulder. The woman in question was very handsome.
Rayla felt a pang of jealousy go through her. She would never be like that, she could never be like. Never be able to throw jokes like well aimed punches, never have the laugh that made others join. She would always play the role of wall decoration.
Running the game of pleasantries wasn't for her, give her a one on one look at someone, fight, a brawl, anything like it, and she could beat them. But this world of finery and splendor was so outside her realm, she barely felt like she was there.
The woman was very handsome. Rayla frowned. She was mad at herself for feeling like she did. It's not like she didn't trust Callum, no she did, with her life. But -she knew this since the beginning- at some point he was going to tire of her needs, her wants. Her wanting to be alone, or her needing to not be alone, or her never explaining herself right, never speaking of her true feelings. He was bound to tire of her sometime or rather, everyone always did. Rayla just didn't expect it to happen so soon.
She knew she was useful, to him and to Katolis. They wouldn't even be having this annual peace gathering if she and Callum hadn't gallivanted for peace in every stronghold and kingdom as ambassadors. He, a human mage who didn't use dark magic, she, a dragonguard. A fine team. A renowned one.
She let a server take away her untouched wine, -grape wine was far too sweet- and sulked. She slumped farther, crystals on her dress scraping against the wall.
Callum was strolling to her, goblets in hand. That easy carefree smile he developed on his face. The pearly shine wasn't vain, narcissistic, but instead charming in a humble way. So very Callum. She loved that smile, it made the room that much brighter, and her mood too.
Callum passed her the wine filled goblet when he reached her. She took a sip, moonberry. They weren't serving that as far as she knew. Despite it being held in moonshadow elf territory. They had picked a wine that was more general and friendly.
"How did you get this?" she took another sip, savoring the tart tang.
"Pulled some strings." He swirled it. "Ethari snuck some in." He added under his breath. Callum put the cup to his lips. He eyed the goblet with vague disgust. "You drink this? It's so sour…"
Rayla snorted. "That's the point, it's so you don't drink that much."
Callum waved down a waiter, and returned his cup. "Wine truly isn't for me." He said in a mock downcast. Rayla finished her glass, then gave it to Callum.
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
She shrugged "I dunno, what was I supposed to do with it?"
He grinned, shaking his head. He flagged down that waiter again. Rayla made her way to the center of the room, Callum jogged to get in step with her. Everyone had paired off, and as already dancing the waltz, the moon was almost at its peak. Rayla turned to Callum.
"My fair lady, may I have this dance." He bent over in a bow, one arm tucked to his stomach, one outstretched. She placed her hand in his.
"Why, of course." Any hurt feelings evaporated.
,-,-,
Callum kissed her knuckles. "Then let's dance." Rayla smiled.
It was a welcome sight to her quiet sadness early, as soon as Callum had seen that cloud over her head he walked over, abandoning his previous conversation.
She looked celestial in her dress. It poured out from the fitted sweetheart bodice, which was striped in two shades of dark teal. Lacy turquoise panels were covered in glitter, it fluffed the shirt, making it flounce with every step Rayla took. She had let her hair grow over the years, the silver tresses reached her mid-back. It needed no ornaments. Her horns had grown too. She had put jewelry on them, silver rings, the smaller one resting by the tip of each horn, the other larger ones resting by the base. The glinting rings were joined by a string of small pink pearls, matching the bigger ones at her ears.
Callum always loved when Rayla's ears moved, he did whatever he could to make them, like kissing her hand in front of a crowd. The silver ring earrings, three in a row, glinted by the tip of her ear.
Callum had the same earrings, but instead of three piercings he had two in gold, and instead of five pearls at his ear, he had two.
Callum pulled her close. She snaked her arms around his shoulders, his hands rested on her waist.
"The ballroom's beautiful." he said, looking her in the eye.
Her ears fell even lower, violet eyes looking him up and down. "Yes, it really is."
They'd been dating for three years, and Rayla could still make his ears go bright pink.
Together -just like every tender handed and love filled couple of the many in the Lunan Citadel-
Callum and Rayla danced.
They twirled and spun, waltzed and swayed. The music was a background piece that added to them. The Citadel was empty, and the sound of everyone faded out. All Callum could hear was Rayla's heavy breathing, the sharp intakes. The swell of her waist under his hands as she did so. The blinding glints of her glitter and glam. Her.
He was seeing her.
Her smile, her slightly crooked teeth, her pink cheeks made more so by the sour moonberry wine. The shine in her eyes, the even set of her pale brows. Would he ever tire of this? Of her? Of seeing her? Could he ever?
He didn't think so. He raised his arm, and Rayla followed suit. He spun her around and around. The shine of her crystal dress blazing, the feather soft feel her hair whipping around against his chin. The radiance of her, of Rayla.
She spun right into his arms, and Callum did what he had been planning on doing the whole evening. He placed his hands on her back, and just as the moon reached its peak, framed by the silver pillars and wire-work of the Lunan Citadel, lighting the whole world white, outlining everyone, he dipped her. Brought his face to hers, let his lips fall open. And kissed her.
Kissed like all the other times, like every late-night and early morning, like every long talk and short laugh fest. Like no one was watching.
Rayla deeped it, her arms shielding them, her fingers in his hairs. The cold feel of her ring against his scalp was exhilarating. She smelled like her mint soap, clean and sharp. Callum turned his head, smiling against Rayla's lips.
He broke away, pressing his forehead to hers, mashing their noses together. He felt Rayla's breathy grin.
"Rayla." he breathed.
"Callum." she replied.
And it was enough.
,-,-,
The annual peace gathering was ending. Almost everyone had left for their respective rooms. Not Rayla, not Callum. Rayla had pulled up her hair into a bun, and walked out to the balcony. Pre-dawn, a world of its own.
Moonlight had lit the ballroom for almost an hour, but it crested past the windowed ceiling, and everyone took it as their cue to leave.
Callum had removed his coat, giving it to Rayla. He took off his dress shirt too, he was in a simple white cotton shirt. It smelled fresh, like cut grass and rain. She took a breath of it as he sided up to her the balcony railing, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She shrugged off part of his wool coat, and they shared as best they could.
A faint line of orange on the horizon marked the sun rising. Rayla sighed, content. Resting her head against Callum's shoulder in that way they learned, the way that didn't hurt either of them with Rayla's horns. It had taken an embarrassingly long time to master.
"Why were you looking so downcast before the dance?" Callum whispered -lacing their fingers- as if his voice would break something. Maybe the fragile line of a new day, peaking higher and turning purple.
Rayla looked at their hands, the ring on her finger shined in the slight glow of pre-dawn. She thought of what to say. "I was embarrassed, for not being good at these things. And jealous, because that woman you were talking with was very pretty."
"Of me? Or of her?"
"Both I guess, I felt, in that moment, not -" she gestured vaguely with her free hand, "-good enough. Like you finally got tired of me." her tone matched his. Quiet seemed to fit this world.
"'Finally' Rayla, look at me," She did. He traced her cheek with the backs of his knuckles. "My dad -Harrow- told me once that love, true love, is more than a big grand gesture, like jumping off a spire with no real way of knowing if I lived or died-" He cupped her cheek, she leaned into his touch. "It's choosing to live the day after the grand recusing, or intense fight, with the person you were willing to die for. It's the choosing to heal, the after. Rayla-" her name in his mouth, on his tongue, felt like home. A warmth feeling in her chest and stomach, she could sit afternoons away dissecting that feeling. "-That day on the Spire I chose you, and I have been ever since. Every day like this I choose you, over and over."
Rayla kissed the inside of his palm. "I know, I know. And every day I choose you. And I want to, I want to wake up with you, to be next to you. To choose you because I want to choose you. But sometimes, it's hard remembering all that."
Callum pulled her closer, kissing the tips of her horns. A trail of them followed; her forehead, her eyelids, her cheeks, nose, chin, corner of her mouth, lips. Rayla let the feeling wash over her. She could spend days away studying it, living in it.
It was sweeter, nicer than the big grand kiss on the ballroom floor, Rayla had loved that kiss. To have everyone see her being admired, being loved. To have everyone see a glimpse of the gift she had. To know Callum had planned it, to know it was in his mind, he wanted that, he wanted her, it was wonderful-
But this kiss- with no one around, no hurt feelings to mend-
this kiss-
was just for her.