Under the light of a half moon, a fire crackled gently; but its pops and snaps were barely audible over the sound of three young adventurer's laughs and giggles. Ezran, ever the entertainer, was telling his brother and their new friend Rayla about the time his beloved Bait snuck out of the castle and wreaked havoc all over town.

"Dad kept getting reports that a thief was breaking into people's homes, but the only thing getting stolen were pastries and desserts!" Ezran beamed at the memory, and accentuated his story with theatrical gestures and dramatic pauses. "I finally had to confess Bait had been gone all day, and that there was a good chance it was him. We set up traps all over town filled with his absolute favorite - jelly tarts, obviously - until SNAP!" he clapped his hands together loudly, "we finally caught him, jelly handed!"

Bait turned bright red, groaning in hunger, or embarrassment, it was impossible to tell. Rayla couldn't help but let herself laugh alongside Ezran and his older brother; the boys were so full of joy it was hard to do anything else.

"I remember that day," Callum chuckled. "Dad tried SO hard to discipline you after, and lecture you on the importance of responsibility when it comes to taking care of pets….but Bait was so full from all the food he could only waddle around, and even Dad couldn't contain himself!"

The laughing eventually subsided, leading way into a comfortable silence between the three. Rayla slid down off the log she had been sitting on to lay on her back, looking up at the moon. She breathed in deeply, appreciating the fact that even though she was far from home, the smells of the forest were familiar and comforting. She had expected the Human lands to be strange and foreign, but the reality was it wasn't that different from Xadia. Sure, the plants and animals were a little boring in comparison, and it was harder to find moonberries than she expected; but ultimately, it was the same sky, same air, same moon as home. Maybe one day they really could unite the two lands…

"You know, Rayla…" Callum said suddenly, breaking her out of her thoughts. "We've been traveling together a few weeks now. I feel like between Ez and I you've heard so much about us and our lives before we met. But we still know almost nothing about you". Rayla met his curious gaze before rolling her eyes and smirking.

"Oh, come on. You know I'm a Moon Elf. You know I'm a trained assassin. You know I'm scared of water and fond of moonberries….what else could you possibly be interested to know about me?" she asked with a half laugh.

"I mean...I don't know! What was your life like before this mission? What are your friends like? Your family?"

"Got a boyfriend?" Ezran asked her, wiggling his eyebrows up at her.

"Ez!" Callum leaned over and hit his brother in the arm. "You can't just ask someone that…". He sneaked a look out of the corner of his eye at her, wondering if she would actually answer. In truth, Callum had a sudden burning desire to know the answer; he didn't know where the feeling came from, but there it was.

To his surprise, Rayla burst out in a side splitting laugh. "Oh yeah, that's a good one, do I have a boyfriend…."

"Sooo...you don't?" Callum tried his best to keep any hopefulness out of his voice.

"No, obviously!"

Ezran cocked his head to the side. "Why would that be obvious? You're cool, and nice...when you aren't trying to kill someone, anyway!" he said with a chuckle. Rayla raised her head at him and gave him a half smile; even she couldn't resist the young boy's charm.

"Well, I appreciate that, Ezran, but it's not because I couldn't find one. It's because it's strictly forbidden for the Moon Elf assassins to have any romantic interests." She laid her head back down, and returned her gaze to the moon, believing that was the end of it.

She was wrong.

Ezran hopped off his log and sat cross legged near the end of Rayla's feet. "What do you mean? Why is it forbidden?" Callum came closer as well, pretending he was trying to get closer to the dying fire, but in reality he was just as eager to hear more as Ezran was.

Rayla let out one of her famous sigh and eyeroll combos. "Are you always this persistent?"

Callum had to laugh now. "Yes. Yes, he is…but I have to admit, I'm curious now too. They really wouldn't let you date anyone, ever? Why would they do that?"

"Well, think about it..." She couldn't believe she was actually indulging them. She chalked it up to Ezran's earlier performance putting her in a good mood, and continued. "We're assassins. We have dangerous missions, and sometimes they involve making difficult choices and sacrifices. Sometimes it means leaving someone behind, or putting yourself in danger for the good of the group. If we were allowed to date, to fall in love...that would complicate things. Especially if we were to date a fellow assassin." She paused. "If you're on a mission, and you have to choose between saving the person you care most about and completing what you came there to do...that choice could jeopardize the whole group. We're raised to value team camaraderie, and to reject any feelings that would bring us close to any one specific member of the group."

"So...can elves even feel love?" Callum asked, genuinely curious.

The elf sat straight up and sent him a dirty look. "YES, Callum, elves can feel love. We're still people. The assassins just...have to repress those feelings when they come up. For the good of the group. Or, so they tell us…." She tucked her knees to her chest, a sad look in her eyes as she directed her attention on the fire. She didn't meet either of their gazes, but it was obvious this was a somewhat sore subject.

Ezran didn't notice, or at least ignored the shift in Rayla's mood. "But, wait...I'm confused" he started.

"What's confusing about that? Right or wrong, at the end of the day, that's what the assassins believed was best, and that's how they raised us. Doesn't matter if we disagree, it's just...part of life." Raya's tone came out a little sharper than she intended, and she inhaled deeply to calm herself. He's just a kid, she reminded herself. A human kid who is just curious. Be nice.

The young prince didn't seem to take offense. "No, I mean...well, what about your parents? Didn't they love each other?" All Ezran had ever known was his own mom and dad, who were loud and proud about how strongly they felt about one another.

"They...no, Ezran. They didn't. I mean, they respected one another, but it wasn't a marriage of love. It was arranged, by the High Council. The rules prevented us from having emotional attachments to one another, but there was still a need for marriages. They were always political, or strategic in some way. Marriages were strictly in place to help relationships between the clans, and to produce offspring who would be stronger, faster, more agile than the previous generation. Volunteers would sign up for the marriage pool, and it was always considered a high honor to be selected. But love had nothing to do with it."

Everyone was silent for a few moments, save for a few burps from Bait. But the laughter from earlier was gone now, as they each separately pondered what implications those kinds of rules would have.

Callum had the courage to break the silence. Pushing Rayla was always a risk; but from the look on her face as she watched the fire he could tell there was something on her mind. "Did it ever happen? I mean, despite the rules, did people ever fall in love anyway?" he asked her in a quiet voice.

It took a moment for her to speak, but to Callum's surprise Rayla did continue. "Not very often...but yes. We're only Elves. Every so often, people would still develop feelings for one another, even though it was strictly not allowed".

Ezran had picked up a stick, and was drawing absentmindedly in the dirt. "What would happen then? If an assassin fell in love? Was it bad?"

Rayla sighed and leaned back on her palms. Her gaze was directed back at the moon, but this time her eyes were unfocused, deep in thought. Callum couldn't place the look on her face, but he could tell this was a rare moment when she was actually opening up to them.

"Okay, so...say you, hypothetically, start having feelings for someone else. And against all odds, you find out they feel the same way about you. You'd have to keep it a secret, obviously, but maybe that works for awhile. You're careful to keep your distance when other people are around, only sharing the briefest of glances or smiles when you feel daring. You sneak off when the rest of the town is resting for just a few short hours of actually being together. It's the only time you can actually talk, and embrace, but it's enough. You fall deeply, and completely in love with this person, despite the rules, despite the consequences…" her voice trailed off for a moment, but neither prince dared to speak.

"Then, you realize they were right. Because, if it came down to it, you would never let anything bad happen to that person when you could help it. You would fail a mission. You would save them over someone else, even yourself. Because you loved them so much that the thought of them getting hurt was unbearable. You just….have to hope you're never put on a mission together".

Callum understood then - this wasn't hypothetical. Rayla was finally sharing her past with them.

"Even though all the sneaking around was hard, and there was never enough time together...this was better than the alternative. Better than not being together at all. Because you feel so strongly about someone else, for the first time, that you would both do whatever it took to make it work. Or at least, you think you both would…" The elf's breathing was getting faster, like it pained her to keep talking, but at the same time she couldn't stop herself from getting the words out.

"Then, one day...the jig is up. You get caught. And you knew, deep down, that it was always going to come to this, that no matter how sneaky and careful you were, eventually you'd be discovered. But you don't care. The consequences are irrelevant to you, they're nothing compared to how you feel about this person." She bit her lip; Callum thought he saw it quiver, but couldn't be sure.

"The council gives you a choice. You have to stop everything - seeing each other, talking to each other, learning and working together even, you'd be separated from then on. You have to suppress your feelings and make sure they never come back. In exchange, neither of you has to leave the clan; but if they discover even a hint that you've done otherwise, one would be banished forever, forced to find another clan or to try and survive on their own.

"But...you know it's not possible" she continued. "You know in your heart that you can't just stuff your feelings away and act like they never happened. This person meant the world to you. You'd do anything to be together, even leave the only life you'd ever known. So you make a plan, you decide the only option is to run away together and live free, where no rules or social protocols could keep you apart. You send them a message, telling them to pack a bag and meet you in your secret spot that night. You...you believe, with your whole heart, that they feel the same way. You don't doubt for a moment that they will be waiting for you, and even though it's scary and nerve wracking, you're excited to finally be done with the secrecy and the deception." Rayla stopped again, seemingly searching for the right words.

Ezran had a hopeful look on his face, the young boy not able to piece together what was about to come. Callum on the other hand knew this story could not have a happy ending, or else Rayla would not be there to tell the tale. They each waited patiently for the elf to keep going; even Bait didn't interrupt her.

"You go to the spot, and he is there, waiting for you. Your heart leaps, and you chastise yourself for feeling any doubt. This is finally happening! But then...you notice. He doesn't have a bag. Something feels off. And suddenly, out of the shadows come members of the council. They're holding your message. All at once, you realize what happened. You were betrayed. The person you love sold you out. He didn't want to be with you, at least, not enough to face the consequences, and saved his own skin by alerting the Council to your plan. It's...devastating. They tell you that you have to leave, so it's a good thing you already packed. But you barely hear them, barely feel or think anything at all except for why? And worst of all, he won't even look at you. Won't meet your eyes. You don't get a goodbye, don't get anything at all. And then, before you know it, it's over. You're banished. You're forced to start a new life, in a new clan, and leave every person you've ever known behind."

Rayla's eyes were shining at this point. "That's what would happen, Ezran. Hypothetically."

Ezran dropped his stick, lower lip pouting out. "Well...that's very sad. Hypothetically. Everyone deserves to have the right to love. If they want to, at least...I mean, I don't really like anyone romantically, the thought of kissing a girl is…." he made a retching gesture. "But if I ever change my mind, I wouldn't want a Council telling me if I can or can't like someone!".

The elf smiled sadly down at him. "I wouldn't want that for you either, you wee Prince." She suddenly felt Callum's gaze. The older prince sat in a shocked silence, but when she met his eyes, she saw they were sad and empathetic. She could tell Callum knew the story was real.

Then it hit her. She let herself be vulnerable, something she almost never chose to do. Suddenly it was too much for her. The weight of reliving her memories came crashing down on her, making it hard to breathe and harder not to cry. Rayla stood quickly, clearing her throat. "Well, all that talking has gotten me parched. I'm going down to the river for some water."

"But we have water right here!" Ezran said, pointing to a full, nearby bucket. She glanced at it and then him, trying to think of an excuse to leave.

Callum graciously gave her an out. "You know, Ez, I hate to be a primadonna, but I would really love some fresh, cold water to drink. Rayla, do you mind grabbing us some?". Rayla shot him a grateful look.

"Happy to!"

She couldn't have grabbed the bucket faster. Water sloshed out the sides, some of it landing on what was left of the fire and putting it out. She couldn't stop to help relight it though; she had to get away, had to be alone for at least a moment.

Rayla came down to the riverbed, finding a nice smooth rock to sit on. She took off her shoes and dunked her feet in the cool water. It had been a long time since she had let herself think of him, and what had happened. It was normally too painful to dwell on, though she had to admit some part of her felt relief. She'd never had a chance to tell that story to anyone before, and it felt like a weight had been lifted.

Some time passed, though she couldn't be sure how long. The moon was getting low in the sky, the stars shining brightly overhead. Rayla had a feeling Callum would be coming to check on her, so she wasn't surprised when she heard his footsteps.

"Hey, um...mind if I join you?" he asked timidly. Callum really wasn't sure how she was going to respond, but was relieved when she simply said "Sure."

He took off his shoes as well, rolling up his pant legs, and joined Rayla on the smooth rock. They shared a couple quiet, comfortable moments together before he spoke again. "Rayla...I'm sorry for pushing you to share your past with us. I know that some things are private and painful and I shouldn't pry. I should let you share things with us on your own time. Ez and I just both really like you and want to get to know you better, that's all". Rayla's cheeks blushed a slight pink, but she smiled.

"That's okay, Callum. I know your hearts are in the right place. It's just...hard for me to trust others. As I'm sure you can imagine, after hearing all that…" she looked away sadly. Callum couldn't blame her there. "But, you and Ezran are my friends now, and I'm going to try to be more open with you. As hard as it is for me, I want to at least try. That's what friends do, right?".

Callum smiled at her. "Well, what you shared tonight was really brave. Thank you for opening up to us. Even if Ez doesn't realize it was a real story…" they both chuckled a bit, before Callum got serious again. "Rayla…I'm so sorry that happened to you". He put a hand on her shoulder, lightly. He was surprised at how warm she was.

She looked away from him, because she knew her eyes would give her away. "It...it was in the past. It's fine."

He squeezed her shoulder, and she turned towards him. "No, it's not fine. You didn't deserve any of that...not the stupid rules from the Council, not the banishment, and most of all, not the betrayal. He was a fool, Rayla. I know we haven't known each other very long, but even in the short amount of time I've known you I know you have a huge heart. You're funny, and talented, and...well, you're awesome!". He smiled at her, and the pink blush she had deepened about three shades. "And if he couldn't see that, Rayla, then he's an idiot. Sorry, but it's the truth!" Rayla actually giggled at that, and Callum beamed at the sound.

"Thank you, Callum. You're very sweet. If I'm honest….it did feel good to get all that off my chest. I've been holding that in for so long now...well, I appreciate you listening. Thank you".

"Any time. That's what friends do!"

They shared a soft smile, before settling back into another comfortable silence for a few minutes more, watching the sky change, grateful to have the moment together.