Chapter 37: Dead Kings

"I hate speeches."

"I know Ez." Callum replied, as he draped the royal cape around his back. "But this is one of those things you just have to do. Nothing super fancy. Just, ya know...hey! I'm alive!"

"Honestly, I feel like just bein there gets that across pretty well." Rayla said with a roll of her eyes. "Why do you humans have to make everything so...ceremonial?"

"Ceremonial?" Callum scoffed. "I'm sorry, we had to do a dance just to make your home town visible. And we're too ceremonial?"

"There was no public speakin involved in that dance!" Rayla replied, with a jab of the finger. "Nobody made me go stand in front a the whole town and give a speech about faith or honor or endurin spirit."

"That's because nobody in your town had a face." Callum replied flatly.

"That's beside the point!" Rayla insisted, giving him a slight shove.

Had anyone else made that joke, she would've almost certainly punched them in the face. Twice if it was Soren.

"Guys, I don't know why you're getting so worked up over this." Ezran said, looking over at them. "You don't have a speech to give. You just have to stand there."

"Stand there in what?!" Rayla asked, gesturing to her pajamas. "I don't have any armor!"

Ezran sighed.

"Guard! Can you find Rayla a shirt?"

The guard peered into the room.

"What kind of shirt, my king?"

"I dunno. What kind of shirt do you want, Rayla?"

"The kind that can take a knife." Rayla replied firmly. "Or an arrow."

The guard paused.

"We...don't have that. Would you like some armor?"

"Is it metal?" Rayla asked, folding her arms.

"Uhh...yes."

Rayla waved her hand dismissively.

"I'll pass. Just get me a regular old shirt."

"Anything else?" Callum asked, a playful look on his face.

"Whatcha mean?" Rayla asked, shooting him a look. Callum opened his mouth.

"Wait. If the words 'high maintenance' come outta your mouth, I'll make ya do the jerk face dance in your underwear while Ezran gives his speech." She threatened.

His eyes went wide, and his head jerked over to look at Ezran.

Whose own eyes were wide.

"That would be great! That's happening!" He exclaimed.

"No. No, that is not happening." Callum replied sternly.

"Aw cmon. You were being a jerk in the woods, you owe me at least one jerk face dance."

"I agree." Rayla said with a smirk, crossing her arms.

"You weren't even there!" Callum argued.

"Aye, but I can imagine it." Rayla replied.

"It's okay." Ezran said, holding up a hand, and stepping between the two. "You guys seem like you're having some...issues? You need to talk through?"

Rayla and Callum exchanged a confused look.

"We're not...no." Rayla replied, brushing a lock of white hair aside.

"This isn't a fight?" Ezran asked, looking from one to the other.

"What? No, this is just...we're having fun." Callum replied, gesturing to Rayla.

"Oh." Ezran replied, looking confused. "...sandwiches?"

"No. Not sandwiches." Callum replied, patting him on the shoulder. "You'll get there one day, kid."

Ezran nodded.

"Well anyway...I'm okay. For the speech. I...I need to learn to stand on my own."

Callum frowned.

"Didn't you stand on your own in front of a maniac trying to kill you literally...two days ago?" He asked.

"That was different. I wasn't alone." Ezran replied. "I had Rayla behind me, and a bunch of Banther friends nearby. This is different."

"Aren't ya nervous?" Rayla asked, touching his shoulder, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

"Yeah. I am." Ezran agreed. "But...I got wings." He said, looking up at the portrait of King Harrow on the wall. "I have to learn to fly."

"You don't have to learn, alone." Callum said, putting a hand on his shoulder as well.

They stood in a triangle in the room. He looked up at them and smiled.

"It's okay. I'll always have you...but today...I'm ready. I'm ready to stand where he stood."

And he did. Not an hour later.

He stood on the castle balcony, the people of Katolis laid out before him.

He cleared his throat, getting momentarily lost in the sea of faces.

"Hey everybody." He finally began.

It was not generally how a king began a royal speech. But it was how he began his.

"So I'm...alive." He continued.

The crowd erupted in applause, and his face turned red, as the applause rained over the castle grounds.

He paused to let them have their moment, then continued.

"There were times...I didn't think I'd ever stand up here again. Times where I began to lose hope." He said, bowing his head. "I watched men and women lay down their lives, in order for me to survive. And..." he trailed off. "I wasn't ready for that." He admitted.

Callum looked out across the soggy ground.

The snow was beginning to melt. It had been a warm week.

"Whatcha thinkin about?" Rayla asked.

He turned to her, eyes widening, as she walked up in a white, silk shirt.

She didn't look like an assassin now. Not a soldier or a warrior.

Now she was just Rayla. Just another person.

"You're...beautiful." He said, causing her cheeks to flush red. "Sorry. You look good in that."

Rayla stood beside him, leaning in and rubbing her cheek against his.

"And you look good in that...red shirt. And blue jacket. That you always wear."

"Thanks." Callum replied with a chuckle.

They stared off toward the afternoon sun.

"What a day. The world just looks so...young." He said, watching water from the melted snow glisten on the grass.

"Yeah. It's kinda perfect." Rayla agreed. "So...Whatcha thinkin about?"

Callum looked at her, then at the forest.

"The future." He replied. "For us. For all of us." He said, turning to look into her eyes. "For you. For me. I just...I want what's best for you, Rayla." He said, looking away, and rubbing his arm. "Even if that isn't best for me. You've sacrificed so much. You deserve to be happy."

Rayla nodded.

"I'm...I'm gonna leave tomorrow, Callum."

Callum nodded, his face wrinkling a little.

He could not deny his sadness at hearing this. But he knew this was going to happen. And he was ready.

"Okay." He said with a nod. "Okay. Let me know if there's anything...anything at all that you need before you go."

Rayla nodded, eyes never leaving him.

"I need ya to know something."

Callum nodded. "Alright."

Rayla turned so that her whole body faced him. And he put her hands on his shoulders.

"I've spent the last few months trying to...to choose. Between what I need to get done...and you." She said. "And...that's not fair. For either of us." She looked away a moment. "So...im not choosin. I'm gonna go home. I'm gonna clear mah name. Find mah parents. And if Ah can't, then make sure everyone in Xadia knows that they were heroes."

Callum nodded, smiling.

"You'll do it. I know you will. You're too strong to fail."

"Ah know." Rayla replied with a half serious chuckle. "And then...when Ah finish that...I'm gonna come home to the man I love." She said, her eyes tearing up as she scanned his face.

Watching the happiness spread across it.

"I'm gonna come home...to mah new family. And protect them. Always. With everythin that I am. Everythin that I..." she trailed off, her eyes looking past Callum, and widening.

"What? What's wrong?" Callum asked.

Rayla moved away from him, and started to walk across the grass.

"Callum. What is that?" She asked, raising her hand.

Callum followed her gaze, noticing the object on the horizon. His eyes widened as well, and he ran after her.

As they climbed the hill, and found themselves staring at the grey form of a Banther.

Completely drained of its life force.

"This...this was dark magic." Callum said, looking to Rayla.

Whose eyes were already traveling further.

To a bird, that lay on the ground. It too was grey. Drained.

Then a moth. A butterfly. Another bird.

A trail of dead animals. All drained completely.

Her eyes continued to follow the trail, and she let out a gasp.

It was leading directly toward Katolis castle.

"Callum...it's him." She said, terror in her voice, as she turned to him. "He's here."

He was a mere spectator now. Watching the coronation from amongst the people, below.

Watching as King Ezran bore his soul for the people of Katolis.

"Part of being a king means...you see the world for what it is." Ezran said, looking across the faces. "And you realize...it isn't as simple as you thought when you were playing with little wooden soldiers, and glow toads..." he looked down at the railing in front of him. "You realize how scary the world is. I realized this. My world is...completely different now, than it was two months ago. The world...is scary now."

The people exchanged looks. Surprised at the level of honesty he was speaking from.

"But it's always been that way. This is what growing up means. And I've realized...even though I don't want to fight...sometimes you have to." He said, narrowing his eyes. "Sometimes you have to hold on to the things you love in this world, whatever, whoever they are, and draw strength from them. Lean on them. And sometimes...you have to fight for them." He looked out across the faces. "So take today to remind the people you love, that they're loved. Give them something to lean on. Something to fight for. Because the day might come where that love is all you have left. All any of us have left." He said with a firm nod. "I love you, Katolis."

The crowd erupted in applause, and Ezran backed away from the balcony, before turning, and walking inside.

His guards stood at his side, as he turned the corner, and began to walk up the stairs.

"An excellent speech, my king!" A voice called.

Ezran paused, turning around to look at the source of it.

A man in his late 30's. Wearing black and red royal robes, that looked quite old.

He was clean shaven, with warm, trusting eyes, and slicked back black hair.

He almost looked royal in appearance, as he stepped toward the group.

Ezran frowned.

"Are you from one of the kingdoms?" He asked.

"Oh yes." The man replied with a grin. "Yes, I'm a representative from the outer colonies. I seek an audience with the king."

Ezran frowned.

"Well...I am the king." He offered.

"Excellent." The man replied, his voice ice cold as he stepped closer. "Just the man I wish to see."

Ezran's eyes widened.

Then moved downward, across his royal clothing.

To his left arm.

A bandage was wrapped around the end of it. Covering a stump.

He looked back up at the man's face, his eyes widening as he did.

The man's mouth curled upward into a smirk.

"Hello Ezran." Azrael said, with a mocking bow.