Chapter Text
He refused to stop looking around Katolis every night. For at least three hours, he spends his time scouting.
Every day. The same process. He spreads his wings and soars to find his moon.
It's been two agonizing years of longing and sorrow. He just wanted to know if she was even alive.
So, Callum soared past the trees, his gaze firmly down with some Moon magic to help him see in the dark. She would travel normally at that time, of course.
Movement to his left, this time, it's not an animal. He soars down, landing with a soft flutter.
The cloaked figure steps back as he lands, they look... awful.
"Hey... I'm Prince Callum, do you need help? I'm sorry if I startled you, I, uh, forgot how jarring the landing can be for others." Rubbing the back of his neck, he tries to see any hint of recognition.
"..."
"How about I take you to Katolis? It's much nicer there than out here."
"...he looks different this time."
The voice makes his head spin, questioning if he even heard it. "I-I'm sorry?"
"What is it this time? Are you going to make him shout again? Make him say how much I deserve it... I already know I do..."
Sources above...
"Rayla?" His voice trembles as his hands hover in the air, afraid to touch her as if she'll become mist before his own eyes.
"You're dragging it out." She mutters, it's her voice... she sounds so hollow. Like any emotion has been ripped out.
"Rayla, it's you..." he steps forward, and she steps back. Her foot caught onto an overgrown root. She falls back, her body barely having the strength to even keep itself up.
Yet the harsh landing doesn't arrive, instead, it's his hand around hers.
Rayla's hood falls, and Callum has to stop the terrified gasp that threatens to spill out. "Rayla... you... your horn, your... what happened?" His expression hardens as he draws her upright and closer. "Rayla. Talk to me, who did this? Who hurt you?"
"Please stop, stop making this one feel real. I don't want this anymore. I don't care what you take from me, just make it stop." Tears spill down her face, yet it doesn't even look like she's alive. It's like a Ghost weeping with no real emotion in those eyes.
"Rayla, what are you talking about? It's me, it's Callum. I'm here." He looks her over. His eyes caught onto everything in different numbers of a glance.
She's thin. Her hair is cut in weird layers, some strands longer than the others. Her right horn is torn away, by force from the looks of it. Her eyes are devoid of much emotion. There are... an awful amount of scars. Too many that disappear under her torn clothes and cloak. Her markings under her eyes are also faded. Her face is flushed as she keeps mumbling about some differences. Mumbling on how much she doesn't want this to happen.
What hell did she go through?
"Rayla, talk to me." He grips her shoulders, feeling the wiry frame she now bears. It's not her average stealth build, it's... like a skeleton.
"I don't want this. Take what you want, just... please stop this."
Callum's eyes drop, a shadow coming over his face as he scowls. "Who hurt you?"
He forces himself to reel in the warring emotions. He wants to yell at her, for leaving him. He wants to hug her, because Moons above does she look like she needs it. He wants to storm off and find the awful person who hurt his Rayla to make her become a shell of her former self.
"Please, make it stop. Just let me die." A chill runs down his spine as she mutters those words.
He swallows all of it. Letting concern flood his senses as he rubs her shoulders. "Rayla," he lowers his voice to a soft whisper. "What happened to you?"
Rayla finally seems to draw away from her trance, a single spark in her eyes. "C-Callum..?" She finally looks at him, really looks.
He's taller, and his hair is windswept at an angle. His build is stronger... this is different.
"Is it... really you?"
"Yes, it's me. Come on, let me take you to the castle. You clearly need rest and I'll make sure you get the best of the best. I promise."
Something akin to relief washes over her. Her body gives out, and he's still there... holding her in his arms. Her vision blurs as his face remains burned in her mind.
The face that worries over her burning body.
Callum stands there, stunned as Rayla collapses against him. His hands are gripping her cloak as he pulls her in. "Rayla... what happened? W-Who hurt you?" He moves one hand away from her waist, running his fingers through her messy hair, losing some grip as the strands stop at odd places.
"You're burning up... come on, I'll take you home. It's okay." He whispers, picking her up in his arms. "You'll be okay, sweetheart, I promise."
Even though he knows he won't get a response, the words keep coming out. "Rayla, it's okay. I'll help you, I promise. I'm here now."