Callum wasn't new to the feeling of his breath catching in his throat. It happened quite often, actually. Whenever Rayla or Ezran snuck up on him, or if he heard an especially bad piece of news. And even so, the feeling when he saw Rayla was something entirely different.
She was clad in a flowy, one-shoulder seafoam green dress, a white sash tied around her waist in an elegant bow. Her hair was even more astonishing, with its twists and braids all coming together to form an intricate hairstyle that Callum had no idea how to classify. A thick golden band wrapped around Rayla's bare shoulder, carved with the symbol of the Moon and the royal crest of Katolis, and her horns were adorned with so many jewels it was practically blinding to look at them.
"Stop drooling. I don't look that good."
At the sound of her voice, Callum blinked and focused on Rayla's flushed face. He reached up to check for drool, his own face reddening when a drop of saliva stuck to his hand. Wiping it away, his mouth twitched into a smile. "What are you talking about? You look amazing!"
Rayla rubbed at her elbow. "It feels so weird to be in a dress. It's all just so stuffy and formal."
Callum chuckled. "You're telling me," he gestured to his own fancy getup, which included a shoulder-length cape and a crown, similar to Ezran's but thinner and less extravagant. "It's super weird, but trust me. You look beautiful."
Rayla's lips quirked into a grin as she took a step towards him. "I could say the same for you, handsome." She slung her arms around his neck and gazed into his eyes, Callum drowning in the lavender depths that were her irises until she spoke again.
"I can't wait to shove that delicious moonberry surprise in that dopey face of yours," she smirked at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Isn't that some stupid human tradition or something?"
"Well, yeah, it kinda is. But I'm not sure I would recommend doing that, 'cause then I'd probably shove some cake back at you, and then it could get into a food fight, and I really don't want to be yelled at–"
"Relax, Cal, I'm only joking," she shoved him playfully in the chest. "Well, maybe. I haven't fully decided yet. But anyway, maybe it'll be good to get a little messy. Take the awkwardness out of all this formality."
Callum sighed with a smile. "I guess you're right."
"I'm always right, dummy."
The couple stood in each other's embrace for a few more moments, foreheads pressed against the other until a knock sounded from the other side of the door. Callum sighed and pulled away lightly. "I have to go," he murmured. "Half an hour to showtime, and all that."
Rayla squeezed his hand, her four fingers fitting snugly between his five. Callum was just leaning in to kiss her when the knock came again. He shrugged. "Might as well save it for the crowds."
His hand slipped away as he took another step towards the door, his gaze still lingering on Rayla's shining face. His eyes stayed glued to hers until the last second, when the door separated between him and his bride.
Callum awoke from the dream in a cold sweat, his hair sticking to his damp forehead. He glanced out the window, at the still-dark sky and the glittering stars. It was just like in his dream, but somehow everything felt dimmer, as if it lacked the same energy.
Slowly, the memories of the dream filtered into Callum's brain. It had felt so vivid, with Rayla's detailed outfit and her specific words, it was hard to believe it wasn't real.
But of course it wasn't. Rayla had left three moons ago, leaving Callum with a short goodbye letter and nothing else. There had been no word from her ever since.
Callum had been sure he didn't have the energy to cry, but he still felt tears pricking his eyes. He shut them tight, hoping to keep the salty drops inside his body, but to no avail. The tears started pouring out slowly at first, then gained intensity until Callum was sobbing loudly into his pillow.
His eyes caught sight of the letter. It was still on his desk, where he'd left it the last time he'd picked it up to reread. It hadn't said much. Just that Rayla had to leave to keep him safe and that she wished she didn't have to but she did. Just that she loved him and this was the only way to ensure he didn't get hurt. Just that she was sorry.
Callum still hadn't accepted the apology. Not that it mattered, considering Rayla was nowhere to be seen.
Callum lay back in bed, his head pounding from dehydration and his eyes still stinging. He pulled the blanket over his head and shoved all thoughts of his dream away. It would probably never happen anyway. Might as well forget it.
Maybe he'd forget Rayla and her empty promises along the way as well.