A/N: Day 30 - romantic flight. Yes, I can follow prompts!

Chapter Summary: He was a sap. She knew it, he knew it. She loved, he knew she loved it. So that's why he always went for big gestures.

Word Count: 2,444

Love is in the Air

"So, wanna tell me why exactly we're taking such a long stroll outta town?" Rayla inquired with a teasing tone, "especially through some dark and mysterious forest?"

"I told you, it's a surprise," Callum informed, happily swinging their intertwined hands as they walked. "Besides, if I recall, 'dark and mysterious forest' isn't exactly something that strikes fear into your heart."

"That one was illusions," she reminded him, "And that weird worm monster was hardly frightening as was disgusting."

"If I recall, you were the one screaming for help when all those bugs started crawling up all over you."

"Ya try having thousands of creepy crawlies up your skin, then see if ya don't scream for help!" she shot back.

"Fair point, fair point," Callum agreed, nodding his head.

"Was this surprise just an excuse for another one of your annoying teasing onslaughts? Because I'd rather do paperwork." Callum laughed as they walked on. Rayla was starting to notice that they were meeting a small incline, and that it was getting a bit brighter, most likely because wherever they were, the trees had enough parting to allow the streams of moonlight to glisten through.

"No, no, no," Callum denied, "This… is for us." His voice dripped into a deep tone of dramatic pause, entailing something else was at play.

Rayla wanted to ask, but she stopped as she noticed his gazes shining up the hill before them. Her eyes blew up as her mouth dropped to the ground. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A large sky blue dragon perched at the edge of the cliff. His scales were fully armoured and rough, like the tests of time had done battle with its skin. His tail swung slowly and gracefully, letting the flow of the soft spoken wind graze past its hair. Hair of which that gleamed like a milky white sheet, reflecting the gaze of the moon of its blankness, he had a mane of white fur ruffled throughout his head with two sets of sharp horns sprouting out from his head. Callum whistled, collecting the creature's attention over to the two. He turned to face the two, staring at them with a pair of large, pearly blue eyes and revealing his small flowing white beard under his chin.

Callum chuckled as he released her hand, walking up to the dragon, he waved. "Hey Zym! Long time no see!"

Rayla's eyes began to water. It was him. It had been years since she had last seen the creature. Time had flown by, important missions and business had arose, and Zym was off maintaining peace throughout Xadia—she just hadn't had the time to make her way out to him. But he was here. Right in front of her. And he looked… amazing.

"Wow…" Rayla spoke. "Ya… ya look like a king!"

Callum laughed, as Zym released a low growl of laughter, smiling at her. "That's what I said!" Callum chirped up.

"Wow…" she rushed over to the large dragon's paw. Running her hands through it she felt his scaly paw, the roughness and age was all there. He felt so different. But his eyes, it was very him. He looked down at her, letting his beard trickle down to the grass at her feet, he met her eyes and smiled. She laughed as she smiled back. That smile… it was him. "Look at ya… ya're all grown up." He released a low purr as he lowered his head, allowing her to caress his face. She giggled. "Ohh, ya're still the same. Still begging for headpats and grooming eh?" Zym ignored her teasing and left himself up for her grooming, her hands felt so comforted and warm with all the hair he had in his beard, it was nice. The realization hit her as she stopped petting him. She turned to Callum, noticing his smug grin, "How did ya do this?"

"The second last time we were Xadia I had a messenger go out to send a letter to Zym. Just asking to meet up is all," he shrugged as he continued, "The last time we were in Xadia, I arranged a meetup just after our meeting with that town's council!"

Rayla's face shifted into confusion. "Why?"

"Because I knew how much you missed him, and well," he glanced up at the dragon. Zym nodded his head and began to turn his body. Callum grabbed Rayla's hand and led her back a few paces, leaving her to watch Zym drop his wing down at their feet. "I thought we could have a little romantic flight."

Rayla chuckled at the sight. Zym had lowered his wing, prompting the two to climb aboard. The King of the Dragons was practically letting them treat him like a pet still, and he didn't mind.

Callum walked up Zym's wing, stopping just after the base, before turning around and extending his hand out to Rayla. "Shall we?"

She grinned. Of course he would do this. Wordlessly, she took his hand and climbed the wing, walking up Zym's side and coming to a stop on his back. Callum sat down, placing himself just a feet or a two away from Zym's head, and Rayla sat down behind him. Patting his back, Callum announced, "Yip, yip, buddy!"

A low growl erupted as Zym's wings rose high. Rayla firmly held onto Zym's back, unsure of how this was going to play out. He took two steps forward and they fell. Rayla and Callum roared in fearful screams, until Zym's wings extended out and they shifted into a glide, barely kissing the tree tops he had nearly crashed them into. Soon enough, they began ascending into the sky.

Rayla could not find the words to even describe such a beauty. It was a breathless sight, and not because they were high in the air. Zym had flown them above the clouds, leaving the night sky expose to their curious eyes—countless stars and a full moon, it was a once in a lifetime view.

"Wow…" she muttered. "It's beautiful."

"I know right?" Callum looked on, scanning their surroundings like her. She noticed he didn't have his sketchbook with him, only his backpack.

She frowned. "Are ya not going to sketch it?"

He chuckled. "Kinda too windy to do that," he gestured all around them. "And besides," he turned around, switching his body over to face her, "I wanna spend the moment with you."

She smiled at him. "Ya're still a sap, ya know that?"

"Of course I do," he rolled his eyes. "But, I also know that as your sap, you still love it when I do things like these."

She chuckled, finding her hands intertwined with his, she pulled his hands close to her. "Never said I didn't love sappy things," she cleverly shot back. "After all, I do like Moonberry juice."

Callum snickered. "Indeed you do, though I'm not sure why…" he leaned in and pecked her cheek, "but I guess I shouldn't complain, considering that it basically got me on your good graces."

Rayla giggled. "Oh yes. Let it be known that my love for ya was only solidified because of my taste in good sappiness."

Callum bursted out into a fit of laughter, leaving the windy air around them to pick up his elated spirit. Rayla laughed too, entranced by how adorable and freeing his laugh felt. His presence, his touch, his words, all of it felt perfect. Nothing but him and her, and of course the King of Dragons, flying high above the clouds. All their words, only for them and them alone.

"Speaking of sappiness," he spoke up, retracting his hands from hers, much to her reluctance, "I also decided to bring you something." He dug his hands into his bag, and pulled out a pair of two Moonberry juice jars. "How about a toast?"

Her eyes went wide. "Why?"

He frowned. "Uhh, why not?" he shrugged. "Kinda wanted to make a sweet moment here?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "No, no, I meant, why would ya do that to yourself?" she inquired, staring at him in confusion. "Ya hate Moonberry juice. Ya don't have to do this."

Callum rolled his eyes. "I don't hate Moonberry juice, I just don't like it. Big difference. Hate's a strong word. There's not a lot of things I hate!" he clarified, holding the drink out to her. She accepted it and he pulled off the cap of his drink. "Besides, it's only a toast?"

She smiled, pulling off her cap as she lifted her drink with him. "What for?"

"To being together, through thick and thin," he joked, shaking the drink, "But also just for all the sweet moments we've had in life. For all the moments that were hard to swallow. For all the times we were parched for a refresher. And all those times we just wanted to treat ourselves." Rayla was in a fit of giggles, of course he had a whole speech based off Moonberry juice. Lifting his drink higher, Callum added, "To us. And your weird tastes."

Rayla smiled, "To us, and my weird tastes." They clinked their drinks and downed them within seconds. Rayla released a content sigh as she wiped her lips, closing her eyes and letting the taste trickle down her tongue. She looked at Callum, and laughed as he launched himself into a barrage of coughs, aggressively attempting to clear his throat as he wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. She patted his back encouragingly. "There, there, you'll be fine," she reassured him, "good on ya champ."

Callum chuckled, clearing his throat one more time. He glanced up at her with watery eyes. "Sorry, still a little rough on my tastebuds," he explained. "Now, with that out of the way—"

"Callum," she interrupted, because at this point she was too curious. "What brought this on? Or, any of this on really?"

He smiled. "Ray, I just wanted to do this. I know these days have been kinda stressful with our ambassador work, but I'm glad we can finally have a moment to ourselves like this. Because I think we earned it. That you earned it." He shook his head and with his free hand, took hers. "I think you deserve a lot of things Rayla. I know that your childhood was always so serious and rough, and I'm amazed that in spite of it all, you still became a great person. Everything about you has amazed me since we met.

"From the get go, seeing you sweep-the-leg was amazing. Seeing you prance around with elegance but also with ferocity? That's something only you could do. It's always amazed me how beautiful everything is about you. Your looks, your hair, your smile, it's hard not to want to sketch you every single day. Your laughter, your teasing, your presence, you make me feel better, to want to be better. And… I love you. I love that you embrace my dorkiness and constantly want me to draw, to get better as an artist. I love that you enjoy my interest in magic, and supported me through all my desires to become an Archmage. And I love that you've been my rock, despite how annoying I've been."

He took a deep breath, maneuvering his other hand into his backpack, to place his empty jar back inside. "Rayla, sweep-the-leg's not just a thing in sword fighting, but in romance, because, you swept me off my feet from the very beginning—"

"Callum," she laughed.

"And I want to be there for you. To be your rock, your muse, your protector, like you've been for me." He smiled at her, "So… Rayla…" his pulled out from his bag, "Will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened as she saw him unfold a necklace. It had a large violet gem held in a stone casing, with an array of white stone pearls looped nearby. The stone had the Draconic word, Unitatis, inscribed into the case. She laughed. She couldn't help but laugh. Her eyes were teary eyed, watering up as the realization sunk in. She laughed because of course he would propose with such a stupid line. She cried because of course he would ask the King of the Dragons to help him out with a proposal. She laughed because he forced himself to drink and make a toast with her favourite drink. She cried because she knew he was trying to show the lengths he go to, for her.

"Callum…" she tearily laughed, "ya're such an idiot…" she reached out for the necklace, completely forgetting the empty jar in her hands and dropping it into the air. She didn't care about that now. She held her necklace, holding it in her hands as she stared at him, smiling as much as she could with her tears. "Ya… know ya never needed to ask."

"But, as your idiot, I had to," he grinned, "because I want to make the big gestures." He grabbed her hands and lifted the necklace up to her face. "So what do you say?"

She looked at the betrothal necklace and sniffled. "Uinatis," she read, "Unity…" She chuckled. "Of course ya'd propose with Moonshadow culture… ya made this yourself, didn't ya?"

"I did." He proudly nodded. "Rayla? Your answer."

"And ya even got the darn King of the Dragons to help ya."

"I did indeed, now your response?"

"And the whole thing with your Moonberry toast? Seriously Callum?"

"Rayla."

"I honestly can't think of how to make this moment… any better."

Callum sighed. "Say yes?" he tiredly suggested.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course," she chuckled, sniffing through her tears. Even if she was an emotional teary eyed mess, she still had to tease him. "Callum, I'd love to marry ya."

He smiled, with that big dumb grin of his, he smiled like he had won the treasures of the world. But in actuality, all he won was a woman he already had. Rayla knew he knew that. She knew he understood how much she loved him, that none of this was ever necessary. But she also knew he wanted to. That this was just another show of how much he loved her. And like always, she enjoyed it. He was so smitten with her, and that was okay.

He leaned in, kissing her lips as he wrapped the necklace around her. She soaked in his lips, enjoying his Moonberry taste laced within him. He pulled away and grinned.

"I love ya…"

"And I love you."

It was okay, because she was smitten on him.

A/N: I did it. I followed the prompt, AND did proposal. Happy? I can do things! Anyways, tomorrow's the last day, but since I'm going to fly out to Ireland tonight with my family I'm gong to post day 31 a lot earlier. Because I'll be way to late to post it when I get back in August. The next, final prompt? Rayla's Birthday. Now... I wonder what I'll do with it...

;)

Until next time,

- Bleh