Chapter Text
Over the recent years, Callum had grown into his role as both the prince and the High Mage. He had to, to be there for his brother. But, somehow, in learning to assume his different roles, he’d adopted several personalities.
As Prince and Ezran’s chief advisor, he had to be very strategic when dealing with other kings and queens and delegates, making sure they didn’t try to slide something by Ezran. And to his credit, Ezran had gotten quite good at seeing through the countless political ploys, due to help from both Callum and Opeli.
In contrast, his role as a brother allowed him to shed the weight of royalty, embracing a more relaxed demeanor when in Ezran’s company or among their close friends like Soren and the others.
He took things more seriously as High Mage though, for obvious reasons. Magic had almost always been his passion, and something he was clearly very good at, and he tried to use it wisely.
However, there were occasions when a deeper, darker aspect of his character surfaced, emerging only in the face of danger to Ezran or Rayla, or when he perceived an injustice being inflicted upon them. Something in those moments made his blood boil, something that made him want to spill someone else’s. Something feral, that would get loose before he could try and stop it.
And today was one of those days.
“What were you thinking?” Opeli’s voice rang with disapproval, and Callum braced himself for the inevitable scolding. “We’ve finally established stable relations with Evenere, and you just jeopardized them!” She continued, her words piercing through his defenses. Ezran remained silent, wisely choosing not to intervene while Opeli vented her frustration. “And for what?” she demanded, her tone laden with disappointment.
Callum crossed his arms defiantly. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he retorted, his eyes narrowing in defiance. “Was I just supposed to stand there while he shamed my fiancée?”
Opeli sighed, her expression softening slightly before hardening once more. “No, and it was very disrespectful of him to do so. However,” she paused, her gaze piercing, “it was completely uncalled for you to threaten King Noceda like that.”
Callum’s anger flared. “Didn’t you hear the things he said? He dared to suggest that I—”
“I know very well what he said,” Opeli cut him off, “But the way you responded was entirely out of line. You would do better to remember yourself.”
Callum couldn’t believe it. Was he going to have to defend Rayla from Opeli too? “And what he said wasn’t also out of line?” he shot back, his frustration mounting.
Opeli frowned, her tone firm. “You both acted irrationally, but I’m afraid it was you who went too far.”
Callum’s anger simmered beneath the surface. “I went too far? I did what was necessary,” he insisted, his voice growing colder.
Opeli raised an eyebrow, her gaze unwavering. “You threatened King Noceda with your magic and could’ve seriously hurt him! I hardly call that necessary.”
Callum’s expression hardened. “He deserved it.”
Before Opeli could reprimand him further, Callum stormed out of the room, his mind racing. He needed to see Rayla, to find comfort in her presence.
As he reached their room, he paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. He couldn’t let her see his anger, his inner turmoil. He had to bury the darkness within him, at least for now.
After another deep breath, Callum summoned the courage to push open the door, finding Rayla sitting in front of the fireplace. She turned when he entered, a smile tugging at her lips.
“Hey, love,” she greeted him warmly, getting up and walking towards him.
“Hey,” Callum managed, his hands finding her waist as she placed hers on his chest. She leaned up to kiss him softly, the familiar warmth of her touch soothing his troubled mind. When she pulled back, one of her hands went to his hair, her touch gentle and reassuring.
“I missed you,” she whispered, kissing him again before nuzzling against his face.
He smiled against the warmth of her breath, “I missed you too,” he admitted softly, his fingers trailing lightly down her back. In this moment, all he wanted was to lose himself in her, to forget the tensions and frustrations of the day.
He knew she would notice something was wrong eventually, but for now, he could just be with her.
Rayla sighed contentedly into him. Her other hand found its way into his hair, her fingers gentle as they tangled in the soft strands. Callum closed his eyes, trying to focus on the warmth of her embrace, but the weight of his worries lingered.
Eventually, she pulled back slightly, her hands still stroking his head with a soothing rhythm. Her voice was soft, laced with concern. “Love, are you okay?” The slight furrow of her brow twisted his heart, reminding him of the pain he was trying to hide.
He swallowed hard, torn between the desire to shield her from his troubles and the knowledge that she deserved honesty. Callum hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor before meeting hers again.
“I... I’m fine,” he murmured, the words feeling hollow even to his own ears.
He didn’t want to burden her with it all just yet, or even at all, if he could. He wished he was a better liar, but no matter what, she always saw right through him.
Rayla frowned, her concern deepening as she removed her fingers from his hair, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders. Callum wished he hadn’t said anything; her touch had been a comfort, and he had started to feel some semblance of peace. But now that she knew something was wrong, there was no avoiding the conversation.
He sighed, gently stroking her waist as he struggled to find the right words. “Me and King Noceda just had a... little misunderstanding, that’s all,” he offered weakly, knowing it was a gross understatement the moment the words left his lips.
Her eyebrow arched in suspicion. “What did you do?” she pressed.
Callum blinked, taken aback by her directness. “What do you mean?” he deflected.
She sighed, “It was about me, wasn’t it?” She said it so casually it made him tense.
“He... said some... very unfavorable things about you,” he admitted, his voice tight with restrained anger.
“And Opeli didn’t say anything?”
“Of course she did, but that’s not the problem,” he snapped, his frustration bubbling to the surface. He tried to rein it in, knowing he wouldn’t forgive himself if he lashed out at her.
Her frown deepened, “Then what is the problem?” she asked softly.
Callum’s temper flared, and he struggled to contain it. “The problem is that someone dared to suggest that the only reason an elf would be with a human is that I’m just keeping you as a—” He cut himself off, the words tasting filthy in his mouth.
Rayla’s reaction was not what he expected. Instead of anger or indignation, she seemed to withdraw, a veil of sadness descending over her features. It tore at Callum’s heart to see her like this, especially knowing he was the cause.
Desperation flooded through him, his voice pleading. “Rayla, just say something, please,’’ he whispered, his heart aching with regret.
Her voice was small when she finally spoke, “What did you do?” She repeated, more vulnerably this time. That brought Callum up short. He couldn’t lie to her, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth either, could he? He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
“I…” He hesitated, grappling with the weight of his actions. “I may have... threatened him, with my magic…”
He looked up, searching for her reaction, but her expression was unreadable, and that worried him. What if she was angry? What if his actions had disappointed her? What if he had irreparably ruined everything?
She sighed, her touch gentle as she reached up to stroke his hair again. “Oh, darling,” she whispered, her voice filled with a tenderness he didn’t deserve, her thumb brushing against his cheek. “It wasn’t worth it.”
There it was again, Callum thought, the way she brushed aside anything that bothered her, as if it didn’t matter. “Of course it was worth it,” he insisted, his voice tinged with frustration.
“It was worth jeopardizing Katolis’ relations with Evenere? For what?”
Opeli’s words echoed in his mind, ‘And for what?’
“For you,” he blurted out, desperation lacing his words. “It’s all for you, always.”
She frowned, her gaze searching his. “It’s not worth it, Callum.”
Callum felt his frustration rising again. “Does that mean you’re not worth it?” he demanded, his tone sharper than he intended.
“It means that it’s not worth the cost,” she replied calmly.
“That doesn’t matter!” he snapped, instantly regretting it as he saw the hurt flash in her eyes. He released her, feeling unworthy to touch her, and took a step back. “Rayla, I…” His voice trailed off, his throat tight with emotion.
The hurt in her eyes cut him to the core, but beneath it, he saw a glimmer of worry. To his surprise, she closed the distance between them, cupping his face in her hands and pressing her lips gently against his. Callum barely registered the kiss before she pulled back, resting her forehead against his.
“I’m sorry,” he choked out, his voice barely above a whisper.
She soothed his hair, her touch comforting. “Hey, love,” she murmured, her words a balm to his troubled soul. “It’s okay.” Callum didn’t understand. He felt he deserved her anger, her disappointment, not this tender forgiveness.
“I... I didn’t think you’d forgive me…” Callum mumbled past the lump in his throat, his voice barely audible.
She shushed him gently, pulling him into a warm embrace. “Easy, love, of course I’ll forgive you,’’ she murmured, pressing a tender kiss to his hair, “always.”
He pulled back just enough to meet her gaze, his expression troubled. “But I’m a broken man,” he confessed quietly, his eyes casting downward.
“I don’t think that’s true,” she countered softly, her voice unwavering, “and even if you are, you’re also something else, something much more important.”
He looked up at her, “What?”
She gave him a thin smile, her eyes filled with warmth as she tilted her head. “You’re mine,” Before he could respond, she leaned in and kissed him, her lips lingering against his. And in that moment, he could almost believe her.