A/N: I was supposed to post this next week and make it a bit longer but my brain is telling me to post it so here ya go! Next chapter will be longer.
"Callum! Hey wait, Callum!" Rayla yelled as she chased him hot on her heels. "Callum, stop!"
Unfortunately for her, the prince has no plans of stopping his tracks.
Furious at his stubborn attitude, the Moonshadow elf clicked her tongue then used her agility to leap in front of him and block his way.
"What the hell are you doing, Rayla?!" Callum was bristling with a scarlet face and blood-shot eyes brimmed with tears. "My brother is in danger!"
"And how are you planning to go to Katolis, fly?"
"Yes!"
She gasped incredulously then grasped both of his shoulders so he could face her squarely. "Are you stupid?! You can't simply fly across Xadia with your mage wings! Even Skywing elves have to use an ambler to cross the Midnight Desert!"
Callum pushed himself forward with clenched fists. "So you want me to stay here and do nothing?"
"I want you to think!" she yelled at him equally as her tears began to fall. "Or at least use your dumb bird brain before you jump into a suicide plan!"
"But Ez is - "
"Currently protected by Soren and his Crownguards." Rayla emphasized as she regained her composure, and when she felt that his shoulders slacked a bit, she added: "Ez will be okay, Cal. Listen to me - Ez is going to be okay. If he was able to survive from the battle in the Storm Spire all by himself, he will definitely survive this."
The mental exhaustion that he had from studying spells, his lack of sleep, and the adrenaline rush that suddenly came after hearing the news were all crashing down. It was too overwhelming, and the thought that his younger brother's life was at risk while he was several miles away made him shudder and slumped to the ground. His hands were clammy as he covered his face out of frustration and helplessness. And when he felt a familiar warmth around his body, his dam immediately broke.
"Oh, Callum." she sobbed as she pulled him closer.
"I - I don't know what to do, Ray." the prince sniffled, burrowing his face against the crook of her neck. "I - I can't bear to lose my baby brother. He - he's the only family that I have left."
She tightened her embrace, relishing his warmth. "You know what to do, Cal. You always have. I will always be here for you, okay? We are going to face this together."
"We? What do you mean?" he peeled himself away from her arms, only to see devastation and pain simmering in her lilac eyes. He cupped her face tenderly with his hands out of instinct then wiped her tears gently with his thumbs. "How about your duties here?"
"Abandoning them just like how you will abandon your mage apprenticeship." Rayla forced herself to smile. "I love Ez as much as you love him. He's more than a best friend to me; he's my younger brother. I don't want to lose him too, Cal."
He closed his eyes as he tried to control the brewing storm of emotions that was murking his logical sense. Ez will be fine. Soren is there to protect him. He's safe.
The two hugged again for a minute in silence to calm down and to collect their thoughts, and when they fully regained their composure, they stood up in haste.
"Can you prepare all of the essential things that we need for our trip," said Callum as they rushed towards their quarters. "While I talk to Ibis and see if he can lend us a transport that can send us to Katolis in a short time?"
Rayla pecked his lips. "You don't have to ask."
It turns out that Queen Zubeia covered all of their bases by giving them an indefinite leave from their apprenticeships and allowed them to return to the Spire and resume their training anytime that they want.
Aside from that, she also provided them a transport that was way faster than the Moon Phoenix.
"This is Rubdilium." Ibis introduced them to a Storm dragon who was a bit bigger than Pyrrha but with teal-colored scales and crimson eyes. "And one of the fastest Storm dragons here in Xadia. She can get you both to Katolis around noon."
The dragon made a puffing noise to show her approval.
"We also installed a carrier on her back so you two can catch some sleep while in the air."
"Erm, we really appreciate all the efforts and troubles that you have done to us but..." Callum rubbed his neck sheepishly as he averted his gaze from the dragon's indifferent eyes to the archmage's confused face. "I think dragons visiting the land of the humans for the first time in ages can be a bit, I don't know, mind blowing for some, I guess?"
Even though the thousand-year war between the Pentarchy and Xadia ended months ago, there are still some people who held grudges and remained hostile towards dragons and elves, especially those who had bad encounters with them in the past.
He can have Rubdilium drop them somewhere near the Breach, and from there he can use his mage wings to fly them to Katolis. But that would take them at least two days to reach the capitol.
"Don't worry, she can conceal herself even in the daylight." Ibis explained casually then nudged the Storm dragon for a demonstration. Her teal scales ruffled under the moonlight as if she wanted to tilt it to a certain angle, creating a mirror-like effect.
"It's a light refraction trick!" Callum exclaimed with awe.
Rubdilium huffed with amusement at the mage human's starry-eyed expression, while Rayla rolled her eyes indignantly and muttered, "What a dork."
.
.
.
Ezran felt like he was trampled by a dozen of banthers. Multiple times.
There was a stinging sensation on his back that made him wince whenever he shifted to his sides, which he now deemed impossible after they placed a cast around his left leg and elevated it with straps attached to the ceiling.
The doctor said that him falling from a three-storey building saved his life.
He couldn't remember anything before he lost his consciousness. There was a blinding light, but that was probably caused by an impact from his attacker.
Nobody knows who his attacker was, or how his attacker infiltrated the castle without leaving any trace. There was speculation of an inside job, so Soren decided to interrogate all of the royal staff and to check their alibis if they were valid or not, though Ezran felt like that was futile. He might be a kid but he knows that none of them has the conscience to murder their king, much more attacking him without triggering some red flags.
His nurse entered the room again, probably to check his vital signs or give him some additional pain relievers - which he sorely needed - only to realize that she wasn't alone.
"How are you Opeli?" the young king asked as he remained unmoved from his position.
"I'm supposed to ask you that question, Your Majesty." said his loyal adviser who waved her hand as a signal for the nurse to leave the room. "How are your feeling?"
"Sore." he admitted dejectedly. "Like I got run over by a group of banthers. Or maybe hippopotamus. Probably both."
Opeli pulled a chair beside him then held his bandaged hand carefully. "I'm glad that you're okay, Your Majesty."
"I hope the same goes to you, Opeli."
The woman chuckled lightly. She was wearing her white night shirt covered by her thick, scarlet robe, and a bedraggled hair that she tied haphazardly in a bun. There were dark circles underneath her bloodshot eyes that made her look like she aged overnight.
"I'm sorry if I can't attend the council's meeting tomorrow - or was it today because it's past midnight?"
"What are you talking about, Your Majesty? Of course you can't attend the council's meeting. In fact," Opeli remarked. "You're not allowed to leave your bed or attend any public meetings until your wounds are healed."
"Ugh, that sucks." Ezran bemoaned as he stared at the ceiling. "Am I going to be cooped in this ward forever?"
"Once the chambermaids are done with their tasks, you will be moved back to your room so you can recuperate well."
"How about the harvest festival?"
"The council will take care of it." she assured him with a gentle squeeze. "Besides, we still have fifteen days left until the Night of the Harvest Moon, and if you will follow your doctor's orders without any complaints, then maybe you'll be cleared to attend the main events."
Ezran hummed with contemplation. The gash inflicted on his back was pretty minor but still requires some dressing changes. However, his broken ribs might take him at least a month to fully heal, as well as his left leg, but that can be shortened depending on how obedient he's going to be in following orders. His doctor permitted him to use a wheelchair temporarily to move around, or a crutch if his ribs won't sing in pain, as long as he doesn't overexert himself.
"Any updates on Bait, Opeli?"
"Well, Your Majesty..." the woman mulled over with a sigh. "I'm sorry to say this but... Bait is still in critical condition."
The young king shut his eyes closed to keep his emotions at bay. "He saved my life, Opeli. Bait saved my life. He jumped in front of my attacker and took the blow that was supposed to be fatal. If not for him, I don't think I will be here alive."
"Your Majesty, I - "
"If something happened to Bait, I..." his voice hitched, then looked at his advisor with misty eyes. "You have to promise me, Opeli. Promise me that Katolis will do everything to save Bait, even if we have to spend half of the kingdom's reserves to save his life. I don't... I don't know what I will do if he - if he will die."
Opeli moved closer to wipe the tears that welled in his light blue orbs. "You have my word, Your Highness. I promise you that we will do everything to save the hero that saved our king."
"And don't forget to supply him with jelly tarts."
"How can we ever forget his unlimited supply of jelly tarts?"
"Thank you, Opeli," Ezran smiled as his advisor stood up. "For everything."
She bowed. "It's a pleasure to serve you, Your Majesty. I believe it's time for me to leave so you can take your rest. Your assigned nurse was kind enough to allow me to see you even though it's beyond visiting hours."
"I specifically instructed her to allow only you, Corvus and Soren to enter my room regardless of time."
She bowed again. "I hope you don't mind that I sent out an urgent message to Prince Calum regarding your assassination attempt."
"You don't have to, honestly." Ezran chuckled much to her confusion. "Zym told Rayla, who also told my brother about what happened. And if Zym was right, both of them will be here on or before noon."
"Then I have to inform the royal staff to prepare for their arrival. Any other special request?"
"I think that would be all. Good night, Opeli."
"Good night, Your Majesty."
Ezran took a deep sigh as soon as his advisor left the room. As much as he misses his brother and his soon-to-be sister in law (which is going to happen in the future), he doesn't want them to see his current condition. Those two were worrywarts back when they were still traveling to Xadia with Zym, and he wasn't ready to deal with two mother hens while his attacker was still at large.
What did I do to make them kill me?, was Ezran's last thoughts before he succumbed to sleep.