Callum is shaking and he can't stop. Rayla's thrown her blanket over his shoulders, one arm around them. The fire is roaring before them and even Zym is curled in Callum's lap, but nothing helps.
"He tried to kill me," Callum whispers for what has to be the fiftieth time that hour.
"You're sure?" Rayla asks, "absolutely sure?"
"I think so," Callum says, "it couldn't have been a nightmare, because my pendant protects against that."
"Maybe it stopped working?" Rayla asks.
"I don't get it," Callum says, and again that whisper threads through his mind.
Sacrifices must be made.
"Why would he do that?" Callum asks, and his voice is thick with tears.
"And why now?" Rayla asks. "If he's been teaching you for a while, why would he do this now?"
"I don't know!" Callum wails into his hands. "Why would he-"
He bursts into wretched, angry tears. "The one person who could tell me more about Startouch elves and he just wants me dead!"
"Callum," Rayla says, and Zym nudges his hands, whining softly.
"He had a knife to my throat, Rayla!" Callum cries. "What was I supposed to do?!"
"I had my blades at your throat once," Rayla says, "you talked back to me and ran. You also set guards on me."
"That was a completely different thing," Callum says, sniffling, rubbing at his eyes. "What do I do now?"
"How do you get to this place?" Rayla asks, "Do you just go there whenever you sleep?"
"I mean, I just show up there usually," Callum says. "Gods, and I always felt safe there. It felt like home!" he's crying again and Rayla pats his back comfortingly.
Sometime after he's stopped crying, Rayla asks, "What did it feel like when you were there last night? Did it feel like home then?"
"It felt," Callum pauses and thinks back. "It was very dark. There was a storm and I remember thinking that was weird because it's always been calm weather when I visited before. I asked Aa—him about it and he said the weather changed with the seasons."
"Callum," Rayla says, "it's still midyear, the seasons won't change for another four months."
Callum goes completely still. "Then it might not have been him?"
"I don't know," Rayla says, holding up one hand. "I'm no expert in magic, especially not Startouch elf magic. But, you know him better than I do. Did it seem like him?"
Callum hiccups, trying to think. "I-think so," then he shudders, remembering the malevolent gaze reflected in the mirror. "I don't want to go back to sleep."
"You can't not sleep," Rayla says flatly, "That's how you get dead."
"What if I go back when I sleep though?" Callum asks, desperate.
Rayla grabs his hand, "Look, Callum, do you trust me?"
Callum can't help the flinch.
"Do you trust me, Callum?" the soft deep voice says, and again the blade slides across his throat-
"Callum!" Rayla is shaking him. "You with me?"
"Sorry!" Callum says, shuddering. "I just...in the...dream...he asked me that too..."
"Oh, Callum," Rayla says, her eyes bright and sorrowful and she hugs him tight.
Callum clings to her like a drowning man, trying hard not to break down into tears again.
"If you fall asleep and go back there, squeeze my hand, and I'll wake you up, okay?" Rayla says.
"Do you think it'll work?" Callum asks. "I mean, I've not woken up from you poking me before."
"I'll make it work," Rayla says firmly, "I'll dunk you in water if I have to."
So, fearfully, surrounded by his friends, Callum closes his eyes and sleeps.
He doesn't go to the tower for a long time after, and it is only after a grueling trek up part of the Spines that has the group sheltering from the howling winds, that everyone sleeps at the same time.
"We don't need to set a watch here," Rayla says, staring into the inky darkness. "No fire though, just in case."
They huddle together for warmth, and Callum falls asleep with Rayla's arm around his shoulder and Zym purring away in his lap.
The tower is filled with light, friendly and welcoming this time, but empty.
"What is this place?" Rayla asks beside him. Zym gives a soft chirp.
Callum jumps. "You're here too?!"
"Um, yeah," Rayla says. "I mean, I guess. Is this where you go in your dreams?"
"Sometimes," Callum says, looking around. No sign of Aaravos.
Anxiety cools knot-like in his stomach, fear crawling up his spine. It's been almost a month now.
"Hey," Rayla says, her hand warm on his arm, "It's okay. You're not alone."
Zym nudges Callum's leg and clambers up into his arms, rumbling quietly.
Callum pats the dragon's head and looks to the double doors. "There's a staircase over there," he says and moves towards them. He takes a deep breath and pushes one door open.
Instead of a staircase, there is a balcony, overflowing with greenery, plants curl over railings, glowing radiant in the sunshine, the scent of lilies light in the air. An onyx bowl half filled with water rests against a stone planter in which blue irises grow amidst snowdrops.
"I thought you said there was a staircase," Rayla says, raising one eyebrow.
"There was the last time I was here," Callum says.
"Maybe it moves?" Rayla asks.
"Maybe?" Callum says, equally unsure. He steps into the garden, Rayla following behind him.
"It's beautiful," Callum whispers, wincing as Zym climbs up to his shoulder, claws digging in before spreading his wings to fly to Rayla's shoulder, cooing.
"Aye," Rayla agrees, allowing Zym to clamber across to her right shoulder and perch. "I've never seen some of these plants before."
"Sihr?"
Callum stiffens as does Rayla and they both turn towards the opposite end of the garden.
Aaravos looks the same as ever, though his hair is plaited neatly back now, no longer free-flowing about his face. He frowns. "Sihr, are you alright?"
Callum shakes his head, stepping back a pace as Aaravos steps forward, and Rayla moves forward to act as a barrier, though Callum can still see around her.
Aaravos certainly looks normal, not at all like the malevolent elf that Callum had seen last time. But looks could be deceiving.
Hurt flashes across Aaravos's face and he stops, remaining where he is, hands at his sides.
"Little najima," Aaravos says, his voice gentle and soft, "what has happened? Why do you recoil from me?"
"Last time I was here," Callum says, and his voice is shaking, tears in his eyes, "you told me that sacrifices must be made. And you tried to cut my throat."
Aaravos's reaction is immediate, a full-body flinch, his expression horrified, one hand pressed to the star at his chest. "I did what?!" he cries, stepping back to lean against the wall, shaking. "Abnay, I did no such thing!" he says, and his gaze is agonized as he looks at Callum. "I swear upon the Stars that gave me life, that I drew no weapon against you! I would rather cut out what is left of my heart than harm you, Sihr!"
Callum stares at him. He wants to believe him, and pushes past Rayla to walk closer. Aaravos's eyes are bright and clear, glowing gold in the sunlight, not that terrifying red. He doesn't move towards Callum, remaining against the wall.
"You...you..told me that my pendant would keep the nightmares away," Callum says.
"Yes," Aaravos says and there are tears in his eyes.
"If what I saw wasn't you, what was it?" Callum asks.
Aaravos draws in a shaky breath, clearly thinking. "You cast that spell before we unsealed your name, correct?"
"Yeah," Callum says.
"The unsealing may have disrupted the spell," Aaravos says. "It was a powerful act of magic to unseal your given name, and your magic was partially tied to that seal."
"So..." Callum says, his voice faint even to his own ears, "It was a nightmare?"
"Yes, abnay," Aaravos says, "only a nightmare. I am so, so sorry that it hurt you."
Aaravos looks like he wants to reach out to Callum but is hesitating.
Callum can see no deceit in his teacher's face, no hint of madness in his bright eyes. So he crosses those last few steps and hugs him and Callum bursts into tears again, clinging to Aaravos.
Aaravos wraps his son in an embrace, and Stars, he wants to cry for the pain that Callum has experienced. That he had thought that Aaravos had—that he would have… he doesn't want to even think about it.
"Oh, little najima, I could never hurt you," Aaravos whispers, "Never in ten thousand years."
"I was so scared," Callum says.
"I do not doubt it," Aaravos says, and impulsively presses a kiss to his hair, "oh abnay, I am so sorry that the spell failed you. I did not even consider that unsealing your name would disrupt it."
Callum is still shaking against him, and Aaravos just holds him, offering what comfort he can.
The newcomers to his tower stand a few feet away. Aaravos glances over them, a moonshadow elf, and...the Dragon Prince. Oh, his son was a powerful mage indeed, to drag two others with him.
The moonshadow elf meets his gaze squarely. Rayla, he recalls her name is.
Callum shifts and pulls slightly away, sniffling. "Sorry," he says.
"Do not apologize, Sihr," Aaravos murmurs, brushing away the tearstains that still linger on Callum's cheeks,"Tears are never a sign of weakness. You were put off balance by what you saw. Nightmares do often have a way of bringing our worst fears to life."
"Yeah," Callum agrees, rubbing at his eyes. "It was...not good...oh thank the gods that it wasn't true-" he hugs Aaravos again, clinging tight.
Aaravos kisses his forehead, "Forgive me, abnay, that I was not able to protect you," he whispers. "I should have considered more carefully the effects such a spell might have upon you. It was my fault that you were so frightened."
Callum sniffles again, "It seemed so real."
Aaravos has no words, but hugs his son tighter. Would that he could be a shield to guard his son's dreams as a mighty dragon guarding their hoard but the wards prevent too much interference for him to do more than this.
Right here, right now, his son is beside him, and he can only pray that his teachings will guard Callum in his stead. That and his friends, Aaravos amends his thought, glancing up to find Rayla studying him, caution and worry plain on her face.
"Come, Sihr. Sit with me, and we will find a way to protect your sleeping mind," Aaravos says, releasing his hold on his son, kneeling down beside a planter that overflows with twisting green vines.
"Okay," Callum says, taking a seat next to him. "Uh, I hope you don't mind that Rayla and Zym managed to get here too."
"I don't mind at all. It is rare enough that I have visitors now. It is a pleasure to see new faces," Aaravos says, turning to greet Rayla and Zym properly. "Stars guide and keep you, child of moon and shadow, and you, prince of dragons."
"Um, hi," Rayla says, and her eyes are suspicious as she looks at him. Aaravos doesn't blame her in the slightest.
"You can tell he's a prince?" she jerks a thumb towards Zym who chirps happily on her shoulder.
"Indeed," Aaravos says, and says in draconic, "Welcome to my home, your highness."
"Your home is very pretty, star-bright one," the prince replies.
"You can understand him?" Callum asks, gaping.
"Of course," Aaracos says, "long ago, the elves and dragons lived together and spoke as one people. It is only with the passage of time, that our languages have diverged from one another. Your highness, if I may ask, what shall I call you?"
"Mother named me Azymondias," the prince says, "But Ezran calls me Zym! I like Zym."
"Then, with your highness's permission, I will call you the same," Aaravos says.
"Please do!" Zym chirps, delighted, "What do I call you, star-bright one?"
"I am Aaravos," Aaravos says, smiling at the prince's cheerful attitude.
"Greetings, Aaravos!" Zym says, wiggling his wings. "Might I explore?"
"Feel free to, though I would caution against eating any of the plants," Aaravos says.
"Okay!" Zym says, flapping awkwardly off Rayla's shoulder.
"Zym, where are you going?" she calls.
"He wishes to explore," Aaravos says. "He will come to no harm here, miss Rayla."
"O-okay," Rayla says, "And can you drop the miss, just Rayla is fine. I didn't quite catch your name."
"I am Aaravos," Aaravos says, "I am glad to see that Sihr has such loyal friends beside him."
"He means me," Callum interjects at Rayla's look of confusion.
"He calls you 'sparkle'?" Rayla asks.
Aaravos laughs. "Ah yes, it does mean that in your tongue, doesn't it?"
"I thought you said it meant magic!" Callum says.
"In Startouch elvish, it does, and in moonshadow elvish it means sparkling, more or less," Aaravos says.
Rayla snorts, "Sparkle. You know, it kind of suits you, Callum."
"Hey!" Callum says, "I don't sparkle!"
"You might one day," Aaravos says softly.
"What?" Callum asks, shocked.
"We unsealed your name," Aaravos explains, "It hid much of your elvish blood and its traits."
"Does that mean I'll grow horns?" Callum asks.
Aaravos studies him, "I do not think so. I think you might develop some of the faint glow all Startouch have, but not as visible as mine is. Your mother's blood and the seal worked...too well."
"Does that mean if whatever happened to Mom before I was born hadn't happened, then I would look more like my dad?" Callum asks.
Aaravos takes a deep, steadying breath. He can see it too, Callum as he should have been, darker skin speckled with a tapestry of stars, branching horns curling back over brown hair. But that possibility is long gone, lost to fate's weave, stolen from his son before Callum even took his first breath.
"Yes, little najima," Aaravos says softly. "I believe so."
A/N: Early, early chapter update, because reasons. As ever, a big thank you to Moondancer5813 for all of her help! The next chapter should be up sometime within the next two weeks, most likely around the 27th. Thank you all for your patience and support!