Chapter Text
"We're fully booked" A tall man barked at Rayla and Callum. "Take my advice and just go home".
Rayla glared at Callum with a look of anger in her eye. She had already offered to just stay in the forest since it was proven to be completely safe but no, Callum INSISTED that they should stay at some overnight in. She was a moonshadow elf. She didn't need fancy things like inns. Was it that hard for Callum to sleep on the god damn ground.
"Are you sure you have no rooms available to you, like at all?" Callum asked trying to make this dream of his happen.
The man sighed. "Yes we do have extra rooms but I must warn you it is not in the best shape-".
"Which is fine!" Callum interrupted. "We- uh we wouldn't mind as long as we can sleep and won't be killed!".
The man sighed as he gave them the key to the room.
"Just a warning," He whispered before they took off. "Some things may be broken, and by some I mean quite a few".
Callum thanked the guy and quickly grabbed the key, the room number, and Rayla by the hand before sprinting off.
"I wonder why he didn't want to give us this room" Callum said looking around.
The room looked wonderful. It had two beds and even had a proper bathroom with a bath, a sink, and a very fancy looking toilet. The beds looked spacious and very cozy.
Callum was about to sit on his bed when he heard a squeal from Rayla.
"What are these- these things on my pillow" she said pointing at something covered in a cute wrapper on her pillow.
"Oh those? Their just mints?" Callum said laughing as he grabbed her hand to give it a kiss.
He tried to hide himself blushing vigorously as he felt a rush of blood run through his veins.
"Hey we should probably go down and eat dinner," Callum said moving along. "I also forgot to mention that it was included also".
"Are cuddle monkeys and glow toads allowed?" Rayla said petting Stella and holding Bait.
The place looked beautiful with decorative patterns across the ceiling and curtains that dangled elegantly to cover the windows from the bright sunset that was occuring.
They sat down at an empty table they found and waited for a waiter to come along.
"So," Rayla said as Stella perched on her shoulder. "I don't think we have ever had this much alone time together."
"I mean I think we did in Xadia-" Callum said, suddenly stopping to pause to think. "Actually you are right."
Ezran had left two weeks ago leaving Callum there in Katolis with Rayla. He wasn't sure how it was going to work at first, I mean who the hell would want to be stuck with their ex, who abandoned them on their birthday for two years, just to come back and immediately expect forgiveness. Callum was rightfully mad at first but realised that the love might still be there with him. He hadn't shared this with anybody, of course, but he had been pondering about it for the past week. They barely had a relationship, it lasted for about two months but it was some of best months he had ever had. He had been in love before, kissed someone before but then when he got with Rayla, something was different. Now it was such an alienating feeling sitting there across to her but not actually being with her. Is that still what he wanted? Was he still in love? Was she still in love?
He snapped out of his imagination as the waitress walked up to them. She was a tall young lady with short black hair and attitude in her stance.
"Hello, what would you like" the waitress said crossing her arms, leaning on to the left side of herself.
Before either of them could speak a shattering if glass rang across the room. Everyone looked at the open window to see a bunch of men staring at them. They seemed to be very tall and viking like with long beards and weapons. One by one they each stepped into the inn and surrounded the room. Screams filled the room with parents running to cover their children's eyes. On each of their jackets that they wore they had a symbol that everyone in the Katolis army wore when Viren was around.
"Loyalists" Callum whispered looking around the room with anger. Rayla looked at him with a sense of concern.
After Viren had been seen as dead a few people remained loyalist to Viren from other kingdoms. They had not gone on the trip to Xadia but had supported him along the way.
Rayla was shocked that so many were still around. To be honest most of them didn't even know what they were talking about though. They just thought that elves were there to dirty the human population and kill everyone. Rayla had sadly had her own run ins to them along her journey at the beginning.
Callum looked as if he was filled with rage ready to murder everyone in the room. When the news came out that Rayla and Callum were dating a lot of people were happy but some were outraged. A group of loyalist took it upon themselves to try and kill Rayla which failed obviously as they tried to do it in the dead of night and must of forget she was a moonshadow elf. They were exiled by Ezran for their crimes but the scar was still left. Callum could not stand the fact that someone would want to kill Rayla or Janai over who they chose to love. It made him even more mad because without the compassion and kindness of Rayla, he wouldn't have lived past the day he met her.
The men walked around each table and stopped at Rayla and Callum's. They stood their with crossed arms and dirty scowls across their faces.
"Well if it isn't the crowned prince and his blood thirsty girlfriend".
The leader seemed to notice a look on Rayla's before one of his henchmen spoke up.
"Uh sir," he said raising his hand. "They broke up".
"Oh sorry," the boss said with a genuine sadness after a couple seconds of silence. " So Uhm, crowned prince and ex girlfriend or just friend now?"
"Ugh" Rayla cried out in annoyance. "What do you want from me? Like seriously, what have I ever done to you?"
We're not looking for trouble we're just looking for justice, elf." The boss said leaning in looking Rayla in the eyes with pride.
Before any of them could do anything Callum jumped at the boss with a fist to the face.
The boss crawled back with a glimpse of fear in his eyes for a mere second. Callum was trying to control his breath and his emotions with his fist clenched.
"Don't touch her!" Callum said with anger in his voice trying to hold back his feelings.
"Oh you've fucked up so hard-" the boss said grabbing Callum by the neck.
"Bar fight!" Rayla yelled taking her butterfly swords and slashing the boss in the back causing the boss to let go of Callum.
As he screamed out in agony the people at the bar and his henchmen started to fight. Rayla moved quickly along side Callum as they found safety. Rayla peeked over the bar to see people in defeat. Bruises and blood covered the workers outnumbered by the henchmen and the people staying at the inn hiding in fear.
"We can't just leave them here!" Rayla pleaded to Callum. "We can't just hide!".
"Rayla if they get you they'll-!" Callum didn't want to finish that sentence, knowing Rayla knew exactly what he meant.
She sighed looking up at the beer hose. "I got an idea, just do your most powerful wind spell when I say now ok?"
Callum hid watching Rayla grab the hose and stand behind the table aiming at the boss.
"Now!" She yelled as Callum put power towards the boss through the beer taking the boss of his feet. She next aimed at the other henchmen leaving them limping towards retreat.
"That was GENIUS!" Callum yelled high giving Rayla.
All of a sudden container holding the beer exploded. Callum and Rayla covered each other but ended up getting covered in beer.
"Uh, at least we got to try beer before we probably should?" Callum said looking at an unhappy Rayla.
After helping to clean up and getting to their room Callum was looking himself up and down.
"Guess both of us are going to need a bath." Callum said trying to sound confident.
Thankfully the inn had not kicked them out or seen them as crazy and avoided them at all costs in fact it was the complete opposite. The inn workers thanked them for their hard work. Apparently this had become a huge issue at the inn and they didn't know how to stop it but know they had an idea on how to. They even offered to clean their beer covered clothes which both Callum and Rayla were grateful about.
"Elf, dragon, magic?" Rayla asked.
"Is that the Xadian version of rock, paper, scissors?" Callum said trying to hold back laughter.
"I guess?" Rayla said. "Is it ok if I go first?".
"Go ahead!" Callum said. "Wait, are you ok with the water?"
"Oh you remembered, eh?" Rayla said giggling. "I'll make sure to call you if anything is wrong".
"Ok" Callum said smiling back at her.
A few seconds later Rayla exited the bathroom. "Uh Callum we have a problem." She handed him a note which he opened up.
"Dear visitors,
We apologize for the inconvenience of the bath. The bath will only run water once. The other time it will probably be mud or worse. For the the sake of your health and our janitor's sanity please only run water once or suffer.
Sincerely,
The night to remember inn.
"Oh so that's what he meant by this room is broken!" Callum said face palming. "It's ok we can just bathe together!".
Rayla turned beet red. I mean she was already in her undergarments so Callum had already seen more than enough. But she didn't want to flat out shut down the idea.
"I mean you could bathe and if I keep my undergarments on I could get a bucket and a rag to get this beer of..." Rayla said wandering off into thought.
She had been having stronger feelings towards Callum lately, I mean, they never went away in the first place. This was benefiting her but she had never been that vulnerable with a person before, after all moonshadow assassins didn't need to be vulnerable to kill, which was their whole purpose.
"Sounds good!" Callum said. "I'll fill you up a bucket and let you know when it's good to come in.
Rayla was sitting with Bait and Stella quietly talking to her coins to make sure Callum couldn't hear her.
"Well Mom, Dad, Runaan," Rayla said bowing her head down towards them. "I don't know how to feel right now, I mean I have never even seen Callum fully shirtless let alone fully unclothed."
She knew it was weird talking to coins about the scenario but she just needed some comfort.
"I wish I knew more on how to deal with these emotions, and I bet Runaan's relationship advice would be hilarious but useless and Mom's would be useful but TMI."
"Rayla" Callum cried from the bathroom with a loud voice. "Coast is clear!"
Rayla slowly made her way to the bathroom door. "1, 2, 3." She thought to herself as she put her hand on the door knob, quickly turning it to open the door.
She stood their in awe at the sight of the bathroom. Callum had arranged everything so nicely. He had lit a few candles and set up an area for Rayla so they could talk but would have enough distance. He knew her way to well as the set up was perfect for Rayla's level of comfort.
"Wow Callum," she said looking around the room.
Her attention turned to Callum's arms which were filled with, tattoos? This caught Rayla off guard for sure. He had grown a lot of muscle over the two years but had also added tattoos for the wing spell the same blue ink on her face. Guess he had taken a page of advice for Ibis. He had also gotten abs that were showing hardcore. Rayla tried to look only above but temptation tried to weigh her eyes down to peak below the water.
She turned her head blushing so that Callum wouldn't see and got to her wash station. She looked down at a cute star shaped object.
"What is this?" She asked Callum holding up the object.
"Oh, it's soap." Callum said splashing the water a little bit more.
"So when did you get the tattoos?" Rayla asked putting the rag in the water and wringing it.
"Oh these?" Callum said pointing to his arms. "I got them about a year ago. I used your advice and got them done in henna and boy is it better than painting them on every day. Although Opeli did almost have a heart attack when she saw them."
"What!?" Rayla said holding back laughter.
"Oh yeah," Callum said crossing his arms. "It was a whole thing. I was training with Soren and took of my jacket. A few people were watching and gasped in shock. I kinda forgot that I had done the tattoos and I had also forgotten to tell everyone about it too. Anyways everyone was cool but Opeli had a complete meltdown thinking it was completely permanent".
Callum broke out laughing along with Rayla.
Rayla was still in a little bit of disbelief as she washed off the last bit of soap from her arms and legs.
Usually when teenage boys had some type of boost in attractiveness they became awful people but Callum was different. Callum was already hot before but he had gained some other features which made him even more attractive than before. He had also gained a lot more confidence in his skills as she could see just from the way he talked. Yet he was still Callum. Still laughing alongside Rayla, still being vulnerable, and still being a dork obviously. The things that made Callum well... Callum were still there.
"Well," Rayla said snapping out of thought. "I'm all done and feeling exhausted so I'm going to go get dressed for bed."
"Okay" Callum said looking her in the eye and smiling.
Callum exited the bedroom with his pajamas on. They were a yellow colour with orange trim around it. They were also mad out of silk to make a cozy and comfy warm but breathable sleep wear.
Callum peaked and saw Rayla was kind of asleep still moving and kind of aware.
Callum went to go sleep on his bed and-
"BAM"
Rayla shot up with her ears very much so perched up. She quickly got out of her bed and ran to Callum's side.
"Ouch" Callum said rubbing his back in pain. "I'm ok!"
Rayla got up from beside him and took a look at the bed. It was obviously slanted way too much for someone to sleep on.
"Guess all the broken things about this hotel are invisible." Rayla said getting up slowly.
"Don't ask." She told herself as she stared at Callum get up in the bed and fall out again.
There were three obvious choices on how to handle this. One, go to bed and let Callum act a fool. Two, let him sleep on the floor keeping her asleep and him uncomfortable but safe. Three, let him sleep with her.
She felt uncomfortable with the last idea. She had slept in the same room as him but never in the same bed as him and Ezran was usually with them also everytime that had happened. Even recently, when Rayla moved into Ezran's old bedroom, there was a thick Woden door between them. What happened if Callum decided he wanted to do something that she wasn't comfortable with or even worse. She had experienced things like that during her travels trying to find Viren. Men and boys thinking that they had the right to do what they wanted but never payed attention to her words which always said no. She trusted Callum not to do that and could easily fight him off is she were fully awake but she would be sleeping. Sleeping is what moonshadow elves hated and lived because it was a person in their most vulnerable state. Easiest time to kill or easiest time to get killed or in this case, other things. But then again she had just been in the same room with him with close to no clothes on and he didn't try or say anything. He was Callum, he didn't just love her, he respected her.
"Just pretend your still with him" She repeated in her head over and over.
"Feel free to sleep in my bed if you want." She said heading over to her bed. "Trust me, you need a food night's sleep."
"Wait, for real?" Callum said getting up. "Your ok with that?".
"Yes," Rayla said trying to sound calm. "I am ok with that".
After a minute or two, Callum slipped into the same bed Rayla was in. He faced his back towards Rayla and felt immediate comfort. This was much better then the other bed for sure and not just because it didn't tilt over.
After a few hours Callum woke up feeling the weight of someone's arm on his. He also felt the torso of Rayla's body under his hand. His guess was that the probably cuddled with each other while they were sleeping.
"Callum slowly untangled himself from her as he sat up watching her sleep.
Obviously this was not in a creepy manner but more in a wonder.
He had a lot on his mind lately about them. To him she was the most beautiful thing in the world, inside and outside, but he had been hurt. What id she left him, again? He couldn't deny it, she hurt him badly. So badly, he was so hurt he couldn't even think to fall in love again especially with her. But as the days passed as he grew to know her again, everything came rushing back. It was like the first time he looked at her then more as a friend. It was magic.
Rayla got up yawning snapping Callum out of thought.
"Morning Callum," she said stretching her arms and legs. "Ready to get moving?"
"Almost, but we do have one more thing to do at this place." Callum said doing what Ezran called the mage hands. "We have an all included breakfast to eat".