Chapter 22 – Variants
The sombre words caused them both to sit in silence for a while before hearing Nyx above them. "Ah! There it is! The second oasis! Also known as the Trelang Oasis, largest in the whole Midnight Desert! And it looks like we have company."
Hurrying to see what she meant, Rayla and Callum soon spotted another mass of trees and water behind a barrier, but there was also a collection of tents and a massive bonfire in the center. Even from the distance, they could see people walking about.
Holding her hand up to shield her eyes from the setting sun, Nyx smiled. "Ah! It's Ginten and his clan!" she laughed, waving her arm above her head as they approached. "HEY! Ginten! Good to see you again!"
One of the figures by the fire waved back before spreading a pair of wings and flying up to greet the sky elf, landing on the saddle with her. "Nyx the minx! Long time no see!" he laughed, grabbing her in a hug so tight she was lifted off the ground. "How are you doing?"
"Oh same old, same old."
"So causing trouble?" the other chuckled, punching her arm before noticing the passengers with her. "Ah! You have guests! How rude of me," he said, then flew down to them. "Greetings, I'm Ginten." He introduced himself, and held out his hand.
"Rayla."
"Callum." The pair introduced themselves in turn, shaking his hand.
"Nice to meet you both."
Callum tried not to frown as he looked over the man. He had draconic wings like himself, but his ears were far pointier than his own, almost like Rayla's. The scales around his eyes were fainter, more like large freckles than anything. He had a long bushy brown beard, but his hair was tied back neatly in a plait that went halfway down his back. It was pulled around his four, short, dark-red horns. His clothes were a sandy colour and bare around the arms, showing his large muscles as well as plenty of scars and tattoos.
Ginten smiled at them both, ignorant to Callum's confusion. "You know, you're just in time!" he stated, turning to Nyx. "You remember Antra? He finally asked Lax to marry him! And she said yes! The wedding is tonight. You should join us!"
"We wouldn't want to intrude."
Ginten frowned at the Moonshadow elf. "Please, you're stuck at the oasis till morning, and we aren't the quietest of neighbours. You might as well join us and enjoy the party rather than try to sleep miserably. Besides, the more the merrier as my wife says."
Callum smiled at the excitable dragon. "I don't mind. Rayla?"
She thought about it, then shrugged. "Oh alright."
"Excellent!" he cheered, turning to the edge of the saddle as the ambler laid herself down to rest. A few of the people came to see the strange creature and her passengers. "Hey! Minna! Better hide the good wine! Nyx is here!"
"Nyx?" came a voice from one of the people approaching. "I had a feeling it was her, and it's not the wine you need to worry about," she chuckled, smiling as she greeted the winged elf with a warm hug. "It's good to see you again dear."
"And you, Minna."
"Minna, meet Callum and Rayla. Nyx is transporting them across the desert, but I've invited them to the wedding."
"Well, the more the merrier," the woman said with a smile. Her hair was silvery-white like Rayla's, and she had pale eyes with markings down her cheeks. "Ah, another Moonshadow elf! So lovely to see someone else travelling. Welcome to our home!"
"Thank you for having us," Rayla said with a nod.
The elf then turned to Ginten. "I was just about to come looking for you. Antra is having a bit of a panic attack over the wedding. Would you mind going to speak with him?"
Ginten gave a dramatic sigh. "Ah, clan leader's duties are never done," he chuckled, then turned to the travellers. "I will be back shortly. Minna will show you around." He jogged off towards one of the tents, Nyx hurrying to follow him.
As he went, Callum tilted his head a little. "I…I'm confused."
"Over what dear?" Minna asked.
"Well…I don't know what type of dragon he is."
Minna chuckled lightly as she began to walk towards the tents. "Well, that's sweet of you to think he's a dragon, but Ginten isn't ashamed of being a Variant."
"A what?"
"A Variant," she repeated, her face twisting with confusion. "D-do you not know what a Variant is?"
"I-I'm sorry but…no, I don't."
"Well, a Variant is the term used for someone born of two different species. So, a dragon and a human, or an elf and a human, or like Ginten, a dragon and an elf. His mother was a Sunfire elf and his father was an earth dragon," she explained, looking over the people as they walked. "Most of the people in the clan are variants, be that second or third generation. We have a couple of first generation, like Ginten."
"Are you a Variant?"
"Oh no, I'm a full elf, but my children are second generation." She peered behind him suddenly. "Speaking of...Don't even think about it young man!" she snapped over Callum's shoulder.
Looking, the pair spotted a little boy with pale brown hair and two horns, frozen in a sneaking position at being caught. But as the pair looked, he giggled and ran off, his tail wagging back and forth as he did with his tiny wings flapping.
"Sorry, that's Wobit, my son. He has this nasty habit of pulling people's tails at the moment."
Pulling his tail close to his body, Callum smiled. "I'll keep my eye out for him," he chuckled, looking over the tents. "So, why are you here at the oasis, for the wedding?"
"Oh, we go from place to place, always on the move. The blessing and curse of being Variant."
"Why?"
Rayla turned to him with an embarrassed smile. "Callum, most dragons and elf clans…they don't have a good opinion of Variants."
"What do you mean?"
"We're outcasts," Minna sighed, "Shunned from place to place. We are sometimes tolerated for a short while, when there's heavy or dangerous work to do, but we are always told to move on eventually. I think the most we've stayed somewhere is…one lunar cycle, and that was when we helped with clearing a collapsed mine." She looked over at the oasis. "But places like this, that belong to no one? We can stay as long as we want…but supplies will run out, and we have to move on to get more."
Callum thought for a moment. "But why are you outcasts? Did…did you do something wrong?"
"Depends who you ask," Minna laughed as they walked. "I mean, I don't think falling in love is wrong, but my whole clan ghosted me when I told them. And Ginten's father was almost killed by his brother when they found out he'd taken an elf as a mate."
The dragon frowned. "I'm sorry. I still don't understand. You were kicked out…because you love Ginten?"
"Dragons and elves tend to believe that they should only…interact with their own kind. It's hard enough when one type of elf or dragon wants to marry an elf or dragon of a different arcanum, but at least it's the same species. For an elf to marry a dragon… it's seen as…" The older woman sighed. "Impure."
Callum stopped. "That…that's not fair. People should be allowed to love whoever they want to, no matter the species. If you love someone, then that's all that matters. Nothing can change that. It's not restricted. It belongs to all living things."
"You're very brave to say that," Minna told him, smiling at the words, as did Rayla. "Now, since we are asking personal questions, would you mind if I ask one of you?"
"What is it?"
"What kind of dragon are you?" she asked, looking him up and down.
Glancing at Rayla to see if he should say, he bit his lip for a moment. "Umm…I'm a sky dragon."
Minna frowned at the words. "Wait…that doesn't make sense," she pondered. "You can't be much older than Leona, and she's fifteen…but fifteen years ago, the only sky dragons around here were the que-" She stopped, and blinked rapidly as she looked him over again, her mouth agape in shock.
At that point, Ginten came jogging back. "Spoke to Antra, he's calmed down a bit now. He'll be fine for tonight."
His wife turned to him, her face still frozen in shock. "Ginten, do you know who this is?" she managed, her voice an urgent whisper.
The leader looked at the dragon. "Umm, Callum? I introduced you a few minutes ago."
"No, do you know who he is?" she repeated, clutching his arm tight.
"Umm…he's…a traveller?" he guessed, confused.
The elf rolled her eyes. "I swear I married an idiot," she muttered. "Ginten, do you know what he is?"
"He's a dragon," the man informed her clearly, glancing at Callum once more. "He's a-" His eyes widened suddenly as he worked out why his wife was acting so strange, turning to face her. "He's a-"
"Yes."
"That means-"
"Yes."
"So he's-"
"Yes!" Minna gasped, stepping back a little.
Ginten turned and pointed at the young visitor. "You're-"
"Yes," Callum laughed, amused by their interaction. "I'm a sky dragon. I'm Queen Zubeia's son and the Dragon Prince…and yes, I am alive."
The Variant quickly covered his mouth, then bowed formally to the ground, his wife following suit. "I'm so sorry…if I'd known I…I…I never would have…done anything! I'm so sorry if I offended you, your highness."
"Offend me?" Callum asked, blushing a little at their display. "Why would you have offended me?"
"Well…you're royalty," Ginten said, still bending over. "And we're…we're…" he trailed off.
Guessing the problem, Callum stepped over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kind people who have invited myself and my friend to your party." Eyes wide, Ginten stood back up, but Callum just shrugged. "Please, don't let my identity ruin that. I'm looking forward to it. I've never been to a wedding before."
"A-are you sure, your highness?" he asked, blushing at the kind words.
"I'm certain, and please, just call me Callum."
His warm smile returning, Ginten nodded. "Then please, come with me. We'll get you a drink."
For the next few minutes, Ginten and Minna showed the pair around the tents, introducing them to the thirty or so people in the clan. Some were full-blooded elves, and there were three dragons in the group, but as Minna had said, most were Variants. They all laughed and joked as they prepared for the evening's celebrations.
They were all amazed by the Prince, not because he was alive, but because he happily accepted them. The shock wore off when he helped move pillows from the tents to a space outside, and then carried barrels of mead from one spot to another. After a while, Callum found himself in a conversation with a couple of second generation Variants. Their horns were slightly larger than Ginten's, but they didn't look as physically strong as their leader.
They were laughing over a drink while Callum told them a story. "And that's when Rayla OWW!" he yelped, turning on the spot to see the same pale-haired boy from before gripping the tip of his tail and pulling hard on it.
Across the space, Minna turned and blushed. "Wobit! What have I told you about pulling tails?!" she shouted as she ran off to catch the trouble maker, but Wobit just ran off with a laugh, his own tail wagging happily at his game. Callum smirked as he watched her catch him and bring him back. "Say you're sorry," she told the child.
Wobit was still grinning as he looked down at Callum's feet. "'orry for pulling on ya tail."
"Oh, it's alright Wobit," the prince said, putting his drink to the side before turning and reaching out to touch the boy's forehead. The boy yelped, then looked at the older dragon who just grinned. "Don't mess with a sky dragon, Wobit," he teased, his fingers sparking a little.
The boy suddenly giggled and ran the other way, the dragon chasing after him, fingers sparkling as he went. The adults watching all laughed at the pair as Callum chased the child, eventually catching him and tickling him with several tiny shocks to make him laugh in hysterics. Once he finished, he bounced on the spot. "Again, again!"
"Me next, me next!" another child called, arms in the air.
"I wanna go too!" a third shouted out.
As the prince found himself suddenly surrounded by children wanting to play, across the space, Rayla chuckled at the picture. "He's good with kids. Who knew?"
Minna nodded as she sat with the other elf. "If there's one thing I've learnt since marrying Ginten, it's that dragons never stop surprising you."
"How long have you been married?"
"About thirty years now." She smiled. "Thirty amazing years. Oh, but don't get me wrong, not always easy years. There are times I have to go to places alone because it's just not safe for him, or the kids."
Looking at her, Rayla nodded. "Do…do you regret it? Leaving, I mean?"
She shrugged slightly. "Sometimes. I have a brother…back home. I wonder how he is sometimes but…he won't acknowledge I exist. He didn't just ghost me from the village, he ghosted me from his life. If anyone asks, I'm dead to him." She looked up at the night sky above. "But then…I think about my new family, and my adventures. I never would have left the Shadowplain if it wasn't for Ginten. I never would have seen the world like I have."
"Have to agree there," Rayla muttered into her cup, sipping her drink. "Moonshadow elves, we don't…tend to travel unless we have to."
"I will tell you this honestly, Rayla. Moonshadow elves are the most stuck up, isolated elves there are in the six sources, and that's no lie," she scoffed. "There is a whole world out there, and we'd rather just stick to our little corners." She sighed, then cheered up a bit. "Well, not us."
"Nope!" Rayla agreed, raising her cup in a toast. "To the world."
"To the world." They tapped their cups together just as there was a gargled shriek on the other side followed by laughter. Callum was toppled over to the ground by four children grabbing his legs so he couldn't walk before they climbed over his back.
Rayla chuckled as she watched him try to crawl away with them still holding on. "Silly lizard," she sighed.
Minna looked at her, then tipped her head skyward. "So, how long have you known the prince?"
Looking to the sky, Rayla judged the moon. "Almost a month."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Feels longer, but we met on the full moon."
"Oh, how sweet."
Rayla sighed sadly. "Not really. I was sent to kill the king and prince of Katolis. Instead, I found him, chained to a wall and half dead."
The other elf looked back at the dragon as he playfully ran from the kids. "Half dead? He looks great for less than a month."
Looking at him, the guard realised she was right. Less than a month ago, Callum had no powers, no strength, and no hope remaining. Now, he was zapping kids playfully so their hair stood on end, chasing after them, laughing, just a few days travel from home.
"He's still hurting," she confessed. "But…wholly…he's getting better."
"He's lucky to have you." Minna nodded. "You're a good pair."
"Yeah…we are," she sighed, her voice taking on a sad undertone.
"Is everything alright Rayla? You look sad."
"No…I'm…I'm fine." She turned away, drinking to avoid conversation.
The other gave a small sigh. "Well, if you want to talk about it, you're in the right place." Minna stood up and went over to the children, getting them to leave the prince alone and ushering them off to bed. There were several complaints when told, but they soon waved goodnight to the adults and went into a single tent to sleep.
Once they were gone, Ginten stepped to the front of the fire and held up his arms. "Alright! Come on everyone! Time for the main event!"
The clan soon settled down and found somewhere to sit, watching as two people stepped out of one tent, and another three stepped out of another. The three were all female, two Variants and one elf. The elf appeared to be in a long, dark-green gown, and had a veil over her head.
The two males, both Variants on the other side, looked like everyone else, but one was standing tense and his nerves were clear. His friend practically dragged him towards the clan leader.
Holding a wide ribbon, Ginten held out his hand, taking the young Variant's hand and wrapping it around his wrist, then repeating it for the elf.
The audience all clapped once, then two stood. An elf and a Variant with slightly smaller horns. "Lex, we welcome you to our family."
The elf in green nodded, and smiled at the groom.
Slowly, each member of the clan stood, stepped over, and spoke to them before standing in a circle.
Towards the back, the visitors watched, and Callum smiled. "This is nice."
"Yeah. They look good together."
"Yeah," the dragon sighed, his tail wrapping around her waist while his head rested on her shoulder. "Rayla… I know I said it before but…I'm sorry for what I said when I was enchanted. You know I didn't mean it."
"I know," she sighed, reaching for his ear to scratch it.
Enjoying the ceremony and the attention, Callum sighed. "Rayla…how did you get me out of it?"
"Out of it?"
"The clafel dust. How did you break me out of its control?"
Glad he was leaning on her shoulder, she blushed slightly. "I-I-I slapped you," she lied. "Then I kinda punched you in the gut."
"Oh."
"Sorry…if it hurts."
"No, it's fine." He closed his eyes, sighing as he took a deep breath. "You smell nice tonight."
"Yeah? Minna gave me some perfume."
"It's nice," he repeated, leaning back and looking at her face. "Rayla, I…I wanted to tell you-"
"HUZZARH!" the Variants all shouted, throwing their arms in the air and throwing petals over the couple as they shared a tender kiss. Music started, and soon, it seemed like everyone was dancing in a circle around them.
Those who didn't dance started serving food or clapping along with the beat. One dance flowed into the next, the music never stopping as dancers stepped out and others joined in. Another song started, and it appeared to call for pairs as everyone found a partner, standing with hands raised and pressed together. A young Variant girl came over to the visitors with a big smile. "Come and dance with me?" she asked, looking at Rayla with a hand extended.
She smiled at the offer before taking her hand and hurrying to the dance, clapping when needed, jumping and laughing. She remained on her feet for at least two songs before stepping out to get a drink and cool down. Callum smiled as he passed her a glass. "Looks like you were having fun."
"Haven't danced like that in years," she laughed, downing her drink. "That's better," she sighed with relief, then refilled it from the table. "Would you like to dance?"
"I wouldn't know what to do. And besides, I'm happier just watching."
With a small nod, Rayla finished her second drink, her face still flushed from the energy. As the music continued, a pair of girls came over and grabbed Rayla, pulling her in for another dance. Watching with a smile, Callum found he couldn't take his eyes off her, the rhythm of the music almost matching his heartbeat.
"Ahem, umm, Callum?"
He tore his eyes from the dance to face Ginten who was stood beside him. "Ah, is everything alright?"
"Yes, everything's fine. I just wanted to tell you, there's a tent over there, set up for you and Rayla when you get tired."
"Thank you. I will probably turn in soon. It's been…a long day," he sighed, thinking over the events.
"I can understand that. Will you join us for a dance before you do?"
"I'll have to politely decline. I'm not much of a dancer."
"I see," the clan leader said, then turned to watch the others. "Would you mind if I danced with her?" he asked, eyes still looking at the fire.
Following his gaze, Callum realised he was talking about Rayla. He kept silent for a while, then nodded. "If you want to. I don't mind."
Smiling, Ginten walked over to Rayla just as the song changed to a slightly slower one. The Variant bowed, and Rayla did the same, walking slowly in a circle with their hands pressed together, and staring at one another.
At the edge, Callum felt himself frown, unsure why. Ginten was much older than Rayla, and he was married. And Rayla was just having a moment of fun. There was no reason he should be feeling so irritated.
Just as Ginten placed a hand on her hip when she stumbled, the prince growled, storming over and pulling the Variant away from her. "Changed my mind," he huffed.
Ginten grinned and winked at him. "Took you long enough," he chuckled, then went off to find another dance partner.
Blinking, Callum turned on the spot to face Rayla, staring at her before smiling and holding out his hand as the dance began to repeat. Without a word, Rayla placed her hand in his, going back to the dance like nothing had changed. Callum wasn't as graceful as her, but he couldn't stop smiling. When the song began to slow, he moved towards her, pressing his brow to hers, coming to a complete standstill.
Eyes closing slowly, he let out a deep sigh, his hand holding her arm as she held his shoulders. The music dimmed to nothing behind him. The world just vanished, and time froze around them.
"Cal?"
Her voice called him back, and he opened his eyes to see her. "Sorry. I'm just…tired."
"Perhaps we should turn in for the night?"
He gave a small nod. "Ginten arranged a tent for us, over there," he said, taking her hand and leading the way. He pulled back the tent's curtain and looked around. Rayla stepped away from him when she noticed their bags were there. She went over and checked the contents. "Seems everything is still here."
"You thought they'd steal from us?"
"Not Ginten, Nyx."
"Ah."
The silence that filled the tent was thick before Callum coughed. "Rayla…I…I wanted to apologise."
"You don't need to keep apologising for what Nyx did to you."
"I know. I wanted to apologise for lying."
She turned to face him. "What? When did you lie?"
"When I said I didn't remember," he sighed. "I…I remember all of it."
"All of it?" Blushing and turning her head to the side, she began to mess with a lock of her hair. "All of it, all of it?"
"Yeah, all of it. I…I remember shouting at you, telling you those…foul lies…making you…" he released a shaky breath. "But I also remember…feeling so empty when you weren't there…the fear of losing you forever…I…I couldn't stand it. The idea of not seeing your face again…hearing you laugh, or tease me, calling me dumb lizard again? It…it was a nightmare worse than any I'd had before." He held her chin and hand, turning her head so they were looking at each other. "Rayla…I'm so sorry for saying those things. I would never make you leave me."
She smiled sadly, reaching up and stroking his cheek. "I know Cal. I don't know how I ever doubted you."
His eyes sparkled for a moment under her touch. "Rayla…I also know…you lied."
"W-what?"
"You didn't slap me out of the clafel dust's grasp."
She tensed at the words, blushing, and turning her eyes away once more. "Oh…that."
"Yeah," he whispered, leaning towards her. "That."
Rayla's eyes quickly turned back as he got closer, the dragon hesitating as she did, and for a moment, she stared into his eyes. She glanced at his lips and back to his eyes, cheeks an even brighter pink.
The corner of his mouth twitched with a smile, and he moved in to close the gap between them, his lips pressing to hers. Eyes instantly closing, both just stood and savored, but then he leant back a little. "Wow," he breathed gently, hovering close to her face.
"Yeah," was the returned word, said just as softly. Her head moved slightly as her arms wrapped around his neck. "Wow."
"Rayla I-" He was cut off as she moved forward, kissing him again, her hand moving to his hair. A little moan came from his throat as her hand grazed his horns, his hands resting comfortably around her waist. He pressed into her, not baring to part for a moment.
The kiss started slow, but was quickly becoming faster, their grasps pulling at each other. Eventually, Rayla had to pull away, breathing like she'd run across the country. Callum wasn't much better, licking his lips to get a lingering taste of her. Without saying a word, he just brushed some hair behind her ear and sighed. His hand moved to hold hers tight, and he pulled her over to one of the collections of blankets, sitting down, and encouraging her to do the same.
Sitting, Rayla leant her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes as his thumb brushed against the back of her hand.
"I have feelings for you Rayla."
Her eyes snapped open, pulling back from his shoulder as her heart skipped a beat. "What?"
He smiled fondly at her. "I…I have feelings for you...strong ones."
Feeling like her heart was going to leap out of her chest, the elf swallowed. "Y-you do?"
"I have for a while. I just…never realised." He looked away, chuckling dryly. "Guess I am a dumb lizard not to realise."
Frozen in place for a moment, the elf finally moved, pulling herself up and cupping his cheek. She turned his head to face her before leaning in to kiss him again. Despite her previous actions, Callum was surprised, but then smiled, reaching out and pulling her closer. She moaned against him, shifting closer herself.
His hands came up to hold her, but he forgot his need for balance. So, he ended up falling backwards under her pressure, lying on his back. But Rayla moved along with him and lay on top, her mouth still pressing against his. Slowly, she pulled away and stared at him for a bit. "I have strong feelings for you too Cal."
It was his turn to blush as he looked up at her. He smiled, then reached up, caressing her cheek. She returned the smile, taking his hand and kissing his palm. "It's late. We should get some sleep."
Nodding, Callum shifted over on the soft blankets to make room for her, watching as she lay down without a single hesitation, resting on her side so she faced him. Glad she was staying close, Callum grabbed another blanket and covered them both. He shifted to his side so he could watch her, then leant over and pecked her lips. "Night," he whispered.
"Night," she whispered back, smiling as she got comfortable and closed her eyes.
~#~
Minna stared hard at her husband who was using a short dagger to carve something out of wood, his eyes only on his work.
"You keep staring at me like that and Wobit is going to get another brother or sister," he chuckled with a big smile.
His wife however just huffed. "I know you Ginten. I know that look on your face. You're plotting." She poked him once in the side with a finger. "You're planning something and I want to know what."
The Variant smiled, holding the hand that had poked him, and kissed the back of it. "Wrong my dear."
"Wrong?"
"I'm not plotting or planning anything," he explained, going back to his carving. "My plan has already happened."
"What in Xadia does that mean?"
"Oh, I'm just up to my old tricks."
"Old tricks?" She frowned at him. "You mean matchmaking? Oh Ginten, who's your poor victim this time?"
Ginten blew on his carving, removing a lot of the chippings he had created. His wife frowned as she brushed some off her dress, waiting for an answer, but as he smiled and carried on, it became clear there wasn't going to be an answer. So, she thought, trying to work it out.
Her eyes widened. "Oh no…not the prince."
Her husband nodded once. "Yep, saw all the signs."
"You played matchmaker with the Dragon Prince of Xadia?!" she hissed with a hint of anger.
"Come on Minna. You saw him. His tail barely left her alone! As soon as she was in reach it was around her." He shrugged, looking at his carving for a bit. "Wasn't touching her, but it was as close as. And the way he held her hand, and rested his head on her shoulder?" He snorted a laugh as he grinned. "And don't get me started on Rayla. My word, I haven't seen a more obvious love-struck elf since…you my dear."
That made her blush a little. "Well…even so, you shouldn't have pushed him."
"Minna, do you really think I would 'push' them? No, I just made the prince see what was before him. I simply danced with Rayla."
His wife sighed and nodded. "Setting off his possessive streak."
"Full-bloods are very protective of what is theirs. I just helped him realise Rayla was his," he explained, blowing on the wood once more. "They would have been dancing around each other for years if I hadn't."
Smiling slightly, his wife leant over and kissed his lips. "I can't decide if I love or hate your meddling."
Grinning, the clan leader put down the wood and grabbed her, kissing her hard on the lips. "Well, I love you."
Pulling back with a big smile, she stood, and turned to leave their tent, looking around at the remains of last night's party. It would take a while to clean it all up, but as she headed to the oasis to wash, she spotted a pair of feathered wings by the water, the owner with her head submerged.
Walking over, she reached out for her shoulder. "Nyx?"
Gasping, the Skywing pulled her head from the water, her hair soaked over her face. Wiping it back, she covered her eyes. "My head..."
"You were certainly knocking them back last night," the older elf chuckled, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small vial. "Here, drink this. It will help with the hangover."
"Thanks Minna, you're the best," she groaned before downing the liquid.
"If I'm the best, then you will return the stuff you stole last night." Nyx looked at her sideways as she continued to drink, but Minna just shook her head. "Don't give me that look. I've known you for too long, and I have a toddler." She held out her hand, palm up. "Hand them over."
Pouting, Nyx tipped her head a little and reached into her pocket to pull out a collection of small jewels, some bits of rope, and a couple of small daggers. Shaking her head, Minna sighed as she put them in her own pocket. "Anything sparkling with you."
"Hey, what can I say?" She shrugged casually. "I'm predictable."
"Too predictable," the other sighed. "You going to be alright getting the prince home?"
"I'm only taking them to the edge of the desert. They're not really friendly with me at Storm Spire."
"Well, when you're done, you know you're always welcome here." Minna smiled and nudged her shoulder. "Us outcasts have to stick together."
"Thanks Minna," she said, passing the empty bottle back. "Ah! There's my precious cargo now!"
Callum rolled his eyes as he approached. "If you say so Nyx. How long before we can leave?"
"It won't take us long to get to the edge from here. About…two hours as the ambler goes."
"You're planning to leave so soon?" Minna asked as she stood up and helped a slightly hung over Nyx to her feet.
"I'm sorry Minna, but I need to get home. Apparently, my mother is very ill. I may be the only one who can help her. So, we need to leave as soon as we can. Nyx, get Amble ready please."
"As you wish," she said, then rubbed her temple. "Just…give me a moment to get my head back," the elf groaned, sitting back down.
Minna smiled and turned to the others. "My medicine will kick in soon for her. And we'll find some of the…sober members of the clan to help get you ready."
"I wish I could stay longer with you. You're the first clan I've met, and I'd love to learn more about you all."
"We would be honoured to teach you sire," Minna said with a smile. "But I understand, you need to go home. I will let Ginten know. I'm sure he will want to see you off." She nodded politely, then turned to walk away, but not before she looked down and noticed the dragon's tail now loosely holding Rayla's ankle.
With a mental curse at her husband, she went to find him, and in less than an hour, the ambler was ready, as were several creatures Ginten had introduced as 'Sandwalkers'. They were two-legged creatures with matted, white fur, and didn't mind the heat of the desert due to their connection to the Sun Primal. Since Nyx was still not completely recovered from her hangover, Ginten and three other Variants were coming to escort them.
Each one was armed with a long spear on their back, and walked next to the ambler. However, they were clearly still in a good mood from the party before, singing loudly as they went.
A few hours passed before the black sand gave way to the green of grass and trees. As Amble set them down, the Variants dismounted and gathered. "Storm Spire is about a day and a half ride that way," Ginten said, pointing off in one direction. "I would come with you, but I need to get back to the clan before dark."
"Ginten, thank you for your help," Callum said, holding out his hand.
While still hesitant, Ginten did shake it in return. "I'm glad we could help your highness. Good fortune on your way home." He turned to the Skywing. "Nyx?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't you have something to say?"
She swallowed. "Umm…" She looked at the prince. "Thanks for…saving my life and…not killing me when I tricked you."
"And?" Ginten prompted, arms folded across his chest.
"And…umm…yeah…here's your necklace back," she confessed, passing over the Moon Opal. "Sorry, sparkly things...can't help myself."
Callum growled audibly as he snatched it back and carefully returned it to Rayla. "Nyx, if I never see you again, I will be a very lucky dragon."
"So…no tip?"
"NYX!" Callum, Rayla, Ginten, and the other Variants all shouted in unison.
SL: And…now screaming begins. Okay, you done? So, beside the obvious thing that happened in this chapter, the other big thing is our own, original species, known as Variants, a being born of two different species.
Now, there are several rules for Variants:
1 - They can't shift forms. Unlike a dragon, who can change from a large draconic form to a human/elf or hybrid, Variants are stuck however they are born, which tends to be a hybrid form.
2 - They are very strong. They are often 'hired' as workers, but never allowed to stay long since they are outcasts. There are about 5 clans of Variants around Xadia, but Ginten has the largest
3 - The horns of a Variant are smaller depending on the generation; 1st gens have quite small horns, 2nd have slightly larger, and so on.
4 - 1st gen Variants are quite rare. It's more common to meet second or third gen. However, Ginten is a 1st gen. After a 4th gen, as long as all previous 'additions' to the bloodline are the same species, the child is no longer considered 'Variant'
5 - They all have dragon/snake eyes, no matter what gen they are.
6 - They're unable to become mages or harness magic. They have a link to an Arcanum, but cannot do magic beyond the 'natural' power. Aka – A Moonshadow Variant will still go 'invisible' on a full moon, but can not do moon magic
7 - There is a difference between a Variant and a Halfling. A Halfling is a child of two creatures of the same species, but of different Arcanums. A Variant is the child of two creatures of different species. It is possible to have Halfling Variants. Also, while Halflings are often frowned upon, they are accepted by their clans, while Variants are wildly dismissed and shunned.
But more important than all that; OMG! Rayla and Callum kissed and confessed and AAAHHHH! I wrote this and I can't get over how CUTE IT IS!
RK: Pfft, Story's quite excited to say the least. But I have to admit, 'bout time, am I right? XD
But now, we get to see that inter-species relationships are possible. Heavily looked down upon? Yes. However, it's proven plausible for them to love one another, have families, and be happy. ^-^
