Chapter Text
It was less than a day after the battle at the Dragon King's lair. Everyone was sleeping or trying to sleep, unsure if the days to come would be restful. They had seen Viren plumet from the top of the peak, but no one dared to assume he was really gone. Deep down, fear of him lingered. It was so early in the morning that the sun was still down when a black bird with a bright green glow about it fluttered to a halt at the gates inscribed with some kind of elvish language. Breathing had somehow come easier to Harrow from inside the body of his feathered companion, but now that he was halfway up the mountain, he felt faint. He wondered if even birds couldn't compare to the lungs of a dragon. But he knew is sons were up there. He knew Amaya was up there, and that the elves up there were friends. He had to keep going.
He hopped and fluttered, but his lungs screamed at him. His mind grew fuzzy, and the world spun as the oxygen became too thin. He had to keep going, he had to make it, he couldn't stop when he was finally so close. But the world went dark, and he felt himself fall to the ground.
The next thing he knew, there was air swirling violently around him. It picked him up and pulled him around, his wings being forced open before his lungs filled with breath again. Standing over him was Callum. What felt like a lifetime's worth of worry rushed out of him like he had been blunged into warm, comforting water. He was so overjoyed he felt weak. He had known his sons had both made it to the battle, but he had not yet known who had made it out.
'Callum, Callum, my son, you're alive! I'm so proud of you for everything I've heard that you've done, I-'
"Woah, Pip, calm down! I can't believe you made it all the way here; this is a really long way from the castle!" Callum scooped the squawking bird up into his arms and held him at eye level. They stared at each other for a long while, and Harrow was nearly too engrossed in relishing the presence of his oldest son to realize how sad he suddenly looked. He was drawn into a gentle, but tight hug. If he had been able to, Harrow felt like sobbing. But instead, all he could do was squawk and bat Callum with his wings in an attempt to return the hug. As he pulled away Harrow was able to see the smile return to Callum's face.
"I missed you too, buddy. Let's get you to Ezran, I'm sure you've got a story to tell." Callum was silent for the first minute or two of climbing farther up the steps to the peak, but after a while he said something that Harrow couldn't believe. "You're magic, right Pip? You probably have a connection with the sky arcanum, or maybe the earth, since you're green? Well, I'm magic now, too! Who would have thought after all my life of being bad at... you know, princely things, I'm a mage! I connected with the sky arcanum, and I even grew mage wings! I was terrified, but," he paused, turning to look out over the vast land that lay around them, nothing out of sight from their spot on the side of the mountain, "it was all worth it. All the fear and doubt... I think I really believe in myself now." There was another long pause where Callum climbed the steps in silence though it felt like he was going to say more, and Harrow sat very still in his arms. Had he heard that right? His son? Could do magic, and it was... a natural kind? Not a kind wrought from death and darkness, but from life and the universe. His chest felt full, and his heart felt light. Callum was not only safe, but he was happy.
"Something just occurred to me," Callum remarked, breaking the silence, "Did you ever talk to Ezran? Like, have you two ever, uh, spoken to each other? Just because, you know, you're an animal, and Ez can talk to animals, we lived in the same house, all that..." He trailed off when all Harrow could do was stare at him. First his oldest son is a proper mage, and now his youngest can talk to animals? He had always known (and insisted) that his children were wonderful and special, as any proud father would do, but he had no idea that they were this special. Not only that, but if Ezran could talk to animals, that meant that Harrow could talk to them again! He could tell them how much he loves them, how proud of them he is, how glad he is that they're safe, how worried he's been, how he had missed them so much every single day. He really needed to get up there now. The excitement gave him the energy he needed to shift around in Callum's grasp enough to stretch his wings, and he shakily flapped until he finally had some momentum.
"Woah, hey, I'm excited too! We're almost at the top." Callum picked up his pace to follow Harrow, who could no longer stand to be patient. He needed to see his little boy and talk to him. If it was possible. The top of the mountain came into view, and there was a bridge that Harrow barely registered because in an instant he was on the other side, bursting into the cave. He wasn't dead ahead, so he looked right. He wasn't there. He looked left. Ezran wasn't there either, but there was another arch that lead deeper into the mountain, and that was where he went. Was that-! Yes! It was! His little bird ears could hear the kind and wonderful voice of his little boy! He burst into the next room but stopped in his tracks when he saw the Queen of Dragons towering over him. For all his joy at seeing his sons, the fear and anger that clung to his heart at the thought of the Dragon King and Queen was enough to paralyze him. It felt like her enormous eyes were pinning him there, but she looked away again just as quickly and calmly. She had been talking to someone and continued.
"Little one, I hope you someday regain your rightful place on the throne. From what I have seen and heard about you, you are the king your people need. You have your doubts, and some of them are well-placed, but you also have my blessing, and everyone here to stand behind you. You will learn and grow, just as my little Azymondias will learn and grow." She was talking to Ezran. That's right, Ezran! If he could shout, he would have. Instead, all that came out were squawks and chirps as he flapped his way over to his son.
'My boy, my boy, I'm so glad you're safe. I am so proud of you for all you've done, I just wish I could tell you'. Ezran looked at him in shock, but held his arm open wide for him. Harrow hugged him the best he could with his silly little wings and thanked every single star in the sky that his boys were okay. But then a chill rushed through him when Ezran hiccupped and, in a barely audible and broken voice, he whispered,
"Dad, is that you?" Harrow felt like his brain froze for an eternity, but perhaps time had simply stopped.
'Yes! It's me, Viren trapped me in Pip's body while the guards were attacked, I've been looking for you both everywhere! It's me, can you hear me?' Ezran hugged his little bird body tighter before letting go and locking eyes with him. Fat tears were streaming down his face, but his million-lumen smile was stretching from ear to ear. He heard someone rush in, and suddenly Callum was next to them.
"Dad! Dad, you're alive!" He was crying as well, biting his lip and trying to stay calm so he didn't trigger his asthma. Harrow found his feathery body entirely enveloped in the hugs of his sons, but the moment was cut short by the Queen of Dragons.
"I am happy for the two of you, but I cannot allow that man to stay here." Her voice was calm, but so cold it immediately chilled Harrow to the bone. She knew what Harrow had done. She knew that he had been the cause of all of this chaos and death, and Harrow knew it too, and by now his sons must be aware as well. Before anyone else could speak, Ezran stood and faced the Dragon without fear. He bowed respectfully.
"We understand. Thank you for allowing us to stay here for as long as you have, we'll leave you in peace."
"Ezran-" Callum cut himself off when Ezran gave him a look that said, 'I know what I'm doing'. The boys stood, Harrow in Ezran's arms again, and the Queen quietly watched them leave the cave. They walked all the way out to the bridge before stopping.
"Dad, it's okay. We... We do know why you can't be here. But this is okay, right Callum? We could go to the Silvergrove, and clear Rayla from her exile." Callum drew his hand to his chin and glanced to the side before his expression lit up and he peered behind them.
"Rayla! Rayla, come here, you won't believe this!" There had been elves in the cave. Harrow had taken almost no notice to them, in favor of seeking out his family, but now he was laying eyes on a Moonshadow elf. Was this one of the ones that had tried to kill him? His uncertainty must have shown, because Callum immediately began rambling. "Rayla, this is my dad- er, this is the soul of King Harrow trapped in the body of his pet bird, Pip. Dad, this is Rayla. She is a Moonshadow elf, but she has saved our lives countless times and is absolutely trustworthy. I promise." The two shared a look that seemed very familiar to Harrow. Were they..? The elf hesitated, looking very unsure about what to do, but then she gave a small bow. She knelt down and faced him from a respectful distance.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. Your sons have changed many lives, but I consider myself one of the most blessed. This peace we have formed could not have happened without them. And I hope that we can... come to trust each other as well." She gave a sheepish smile when Harrow's
'Thank you, as well' came out as coos.
"I promise, we do not drink blood." The three of them chuckled at that, and while Harrow was largely confused, he was relieved that the elves and the Queen of Dragons had chosen peace when he was so vulnerable. Harrow's own nervous laugh came out as a small caw. Luckily Amaya came over at that moment, and the boys shared the news with her. She was shocked, her hand covered her mouth, but then she was gently hugging him and smiling before pulling back and asking what was going to be done about the "situation". At that, everyone stopped, and either looked at the ground, or at Harrow's feathered figure. They all knew she meant him being in Pip's body. And if Harrow was being honest, it would be nice to find a way out of it. Being a bird was weird, at best. And the fact was that he missed Pip dearly and being in his body was deeply disturbing. He knew it was against his will, but some cruel voice in his mind kept telling him that he killed his precious companion.
"I don't know what we could do about it. It's not like we can just make a body. And It's been weeks, I don't think the original one is..." The elf trailed off, her eyebrows furrowing as her gaze shifting to the distance. Ezran elbowed Callum, who took a moment to understand why.
"Oh! Right, Rayla, what do you think about going back to the Silvergrove? I think it's about time we share the truth about what happened. With you, and your parents." The elf smiled at him and pushed her hair back behind her pointed ear.
"You really think they'll listen?" she asked, sounding scared to be hopeful. Callum placed his hand on her shoulder and his expression was so sweet that it confirmed something he had thought earlier about them. Now wasn't the time to say anything about it though, he didn't want to give a Moonshadow elf the So You Think You Can Date My Son talk while stuck as a bird. And with Ezran translating.
"I know they will, we already know Ethari wants to believe you. He'll back you up." There was hardly a moment for her to respond before Ezran chimed in,
"Great! So it's decided. I have so much more of Xadia I want to see, there's just... one thing I have to do before we go." The other three looked as if they already knew what he was talking about. "Dad," Ezran turned to him and smiled, but it was a small, weak smile that didn't make it to his eyes, "I have to say goodbye to Zym." His little hands flew to his face, and he continued, "Oh my gosh, you don't know who that is!" His hands slid down and his smile was a little more genuine now, "I can't wait to tell you everything. There's a lot, and I think we'll have plenty of time." Ezran and Callum nodded to each other, and the small boy ran off back into the cave.
"While we wait, can I tell you some stuff about me?" Callum drew his hand from the elf's arm and stooped down to Harrow's level. His heart swelled and he nodded with vigor. "Okay, well, I mentioned this earlier but I'm a mage now!" The words tumbled out of him faster and faster, and Harrow's surprise and confusion was vastly overshadowed by joy and pride. His son was a genuine, natural mage. He was something new and unlike any human before him. "It all started when I took this thing called a primal stone from Caludia- well, I mean technically it all started when Ezran found the egg of the dragon prince while we were running from Rayal who was also sorta kinda there to kill us," he smiled awkwardly and so did the elf, but he went on, "but we found the egg and we all realized that it was much more important than fighting. That it would be the key to peace. So we left to come here, to bring the egg back to Xadia and stop a war from breaking out. But on the way, we found something called the Moon Nexus. Oh, wait, okay so I was able to use the primal stone I took to cast spells using the sky arcanum, which is a primal source, but I had to smash the stone to hatch Zym because he was dying-"
He went on for a while and told Harrow incredible things. All that he had learned from his experiences. Harrow could hardly believe that the same little boy who could barely hold a sword just a few weeks ago was the same boy standing before him now. He had grown so much and found his sense of confidence, it was more than Harrow had ever wanted to ask of him but everything he had ever hoped for. He knew where the story came to a pause. Here, on this mountain peak, a battle was fought. A terrible one, that Harrow could only watch from afar without risking his life again. And they had won. Viren was gone, and his forces were defeated, and now all that was left to do was return home and make the best of what was left. Harrow had no doubts that Ezran would make a good king and now that he knew that he could talk to his boys again, and could be there to give them council, he truly felt that everything would be okay.
'You look so happy, Callum. I am so proud of you.' Only squawks came out, but he hoped that Callum could tell what he meant. Ezran appeared from the mouth of the cave again and came trotting back to them. Amaya signed to him something that Harrow couldn't quite see, and then signed to the group,
"We should head out; we have a lot of ground to cover if we're going to walk all the way back to Katolis."
"But first," Callum spoke up again, placing his hand on the elf's shoulder once more and giving her another gentle smile, " we're headed to the Silvergrove. We have some stories to set straight."