Chapter Text
It was a sunny day. All the Sunfire delegations have already arrived to their temporary home in Xadia after what happened in Lux Aurea. It wasn't home, but they needed a place to stay until their city is rebuilt. Some humans joined the sunfire elves in order to provide some help. The other human delegations continued on their way home to the human kingdoms. The royals and their advisors and crown guards stayed a few days longer than the other delegations for diplomatic matters (and of course to stay with Zym a little longer). They walked for days now in the direction of Katolis castle. They crossed the border not too long ago and the area began to shift into a grassier landscape.
In a week or so they would reach home. Or… well? close enough to be home. It still felt weird referring to a different place as "home" other than the Silvergrove, Rayla thought. But she had Callum and Ezran and she guessed Soren now too. It's been a long way since the last time she had been in the castle. Everything is so different now.
Callum seemed to notice the way her eyes didn't focus and her ears bent down, because now he was looking at her with an expression she couldn’t sort out.
"Hey. What are you thinking about?" he knew too well that if he asked her if she was alright, she is just going to say yes.
"I'm fine Callum. Stop worrying about me". Rayla said.
"Come on, we both know that's not possible."
She sighed. "I was just thinking about how different things are. You know?"
Callum's face softened. "Yeah well… I kinda like the way things turned out. Even if I would like some things to be different." Callum thought of his step-father.
Rayla noticed it immediately and took his hand in hers with a small smile to comfort him.
They kept walking in silence for the next couple of minutes. And exchanged occasion small talks after, about Xadian trees and how Zym loves fart flowers.
After about two hours Soren decided that it was time to stop and rest before they continue their journey back. They stopped near a small lake with shallow water.
Oh… for Garlath's sake. Rayla thought. A disgusted look on her face. Why on earth he decided to stop here? The universe just like to tease her sometimes.
Callum smiled a little to himself. That's a one cute displeased face. He thought.
The rest of the party has already spread. The four of them stayed near the lake.
"Guys! What do you say? Want to take a dip?" Soren said.
"Yes!!!"
"No thank you"
Ezran and Rayla said at the same time.
"Come on! It will be fun! And we don't smell like roses you know…" Soren tried to convince her, already taking his shirt off.
Rayla rolled her eyes and said "You guys go. I'm a bit tired. I think I'm gonna rest a bit."
"But-" Soren began to say but Callum beat him to it. "I'll stay with you. You guys go."
"Callum you don't have to-"
"I'm a little tired too anyway." He said with an understanding look on his face.
Rayla was still wary of showing vulnerability and he knew it wasn't easy to just change that after years of growing up this way. He respected that and gave her time.
She gave him a small smile. He returned it.
Soren interrupted their moment. "Well… I guess I'll just go with Ez-" and then it happened. He rushed towards Rayla, lifted her above his shoulders and run towards the lake with her holding on to him for dear life with wide eyes.
"SOREN!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! PUT ME DOWN!"
When he got to the edge of the lake, he could hear Callum shouts at him from a distance "SOREN NO!"
When he entered the water, Rayla shut her eyes so tight that she saw stars. With an evil smile, Soren attempted on throwing Rayla into the water. But Rayla's grip was so tight on him that he doubled over and almost fell with her into the lake. When he regain his balance he managed to hear Rayla's quiet and trembling voice. "get back. Please. put me down." She didn't let go of her strong grip and he could tell she was shaking. Something is wrong. He went back towards the land. By the time he arrived, Callum and Ezran waited for them at the edge of the lake with worried faces. Soren started to put Rayla down with Callum's help.
"It's okay. We're on land." Callum reassured her with a soft voice and a hand on her back. Still with eyes closed tight, she trusted him and put her feet on the ground while clinging to Callum. She hugged him tightly, shaking in his arms as he hugged her back.
"I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you?" Soren was worried. " I was trying to be playful. I won't do it again. I promise."
Rayla still couldn’t find her voice.
After a few seconds of silence Ezran said "She's afraid of water."
There. It was out now. How embarrassing. She wanted to hide her face in Callum's shoulder forever.
"You're hydrophobic?"
"What?" Rayla raised her head, looking at Soren, finally finding her voice. Callum's eyes was filled with shock.
"Hydrophobic, you know… someone who fears water."
"I can't believe you know this word Soren!" Callum said with a surprised look.
"I'm a poet. I know lots of words. Like narrative and... and nuance!"
"There's a definition to my fear?" Rayla said, ignoring Soren's ramblings.
"Yeah! Well not just *your* fear but yeah."
"We don't have names for fears in the Silvergrove."
That is to be expected. Given that Moonshadow elves weren't supposed to show fear. Callum thought.
She wasn't sure why but having a name to her fear made her feel a little better. Like she wasn't alone. If there is a name to her fear it must mean she wasn't the only one, unless… "are you messing with me?"
"No! No! I swear! It's true! I'm not messing with you."
She looked at Callum, then at Ezran. They seemed to agree.
"He's not messing with you Rayla. It's a thing." Ezran said.
"Hey… are you feeling better?" Callum asked with a soft voice.
"Yeah… I just wasn't expecting that. Is all."
"I'm sorry… I'm glad you're not hurt though." Soren said.
Rayla gave him a small smile.
"But why didn't you say so before?
Her smile deflated. She seemed upset.
"It considered a shame to show fear in my culture."
"That's just stupid!"
"Yeah I already had this talk with Callum and Ezran. Still can't shake the feeling. "
"Oh. Sorry…"
"It's okay." Rayla said, unsure.
"No… I shouldn't have done that in the first place."
"Yeah you shouldn't have. But I'm fine now."
"I'm glad you're fine. If I knew that I could just bring a bucket full of water to our fights..."
"Please shut up."
Ezran was having enough of their exchange. "Can we go swim now???"
They all laughed at the young boy's impatience.
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Soren and Ezran were splashing water at each other, while Callum and Rayla stayed under a tree.
"Are you really tired?"
Callum smiled at her. "Honestly not so much. But I could use a rest."
Rayla smiled at him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Hugging me when Soren put me down. I needed that."
Callum smiled at her. "You're welcome."
He wasn't too tired, but he knew Rayla was. Ever since what happened on the Storm spire, sleep hasn't come easy for her. he glanced at her and saw that her eyes were closed, her facial features were calm and her breathing even. He could hear Ez and Soren's cheerful cries from the lake. Everything is different now. With everything that happened, he is happy with where he is now.