Chapter Eighteen: The Secret Of The Key
Callum and Rayla held on to each other, more out of protectiveness and reassurance than fear; at least now that they knew what could be coming, they could do more than run if Runaan decided to pursue. It seemed that he hadn't, given that the brief shouting match downstairs had stopped.
"Well, at least we can stop sneaking around." Callum's words were insincere and they both knew it.
"Aw, I thought we were having fun." Rayla teased and Callum smiled. "Going behind their backs and trying not to get caught." She pulled Callum into a deep but brief kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Kind of exciting." Callum gave her a sly smile and his hands found their way to her hips. Before the two could continue with their tryst, a knock interrupted them. Ordinarily, Rayla would keep silent; Callum alone was safe to answer, as being in his own room wasn't suspect, though Rayla's presence in his room was bound to be. Of course, everyone had seen them run up here together. "Hello?" Callum asked, trying not to sound too frustrated at the interrupted alone time.
"It's Ezran." came the reply, muffled by the closed door. "It's safe. I think. He's not going to attack anyone is my point."
Callum and Rayla's reemergence was cautious and they followed Ezran back downstairs. Everyone was waiting for them. Amaya regarded them sympathetically for a moment before turning a keen eye to Runaan, just in case the elf tried to lunge at her nephew again. Runaan stood up and gave Rayla the same stoic look had had first given her upon waking up, and Rayla had the sneaky feeling that this wouldn't end in a hug. He did not acknowledge Callum outside of his eyes flashing in anger for an instant seeing how close he stood to her. It was sickening.
"I am offering you one chance." Runaan said, addressing her. "Leave the humans and come home with us, or continue with this…this delusion of yours, of happiness among them."
"I won't." She said. Runaan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly when Rayla took Callum's hand. This also gave Callum the courage he needed to draw her nearer to him. "The elves back home abandoned me without looking back and as far as I could see, only Ethari even cared. Callum is...he's the complete opposite of everything we've been taught. When we first met, he tried to take his brother's place when I told him what needed to happen to Ezran. He has made so many sacrifices to keep the Dragon Prince alive and never once have I heard a word of regret. And then he connected to the sky arcanum. Runaan, Callum is an amazing human. He's kind and loyal and noble and...I won't leave him."
Runaan did not seem moved. "Than there is nothing more to say."
Runaan turned on his heels and slammed the door behind him as he left. Looking through a window, Ezran saw he was waiting for something. Ethari approached the pair, or rather Callum, seeming to be more disappointed than anything else. "He'll come around eventually." His eyes had been closed for a moment, maybe to avoid the reality that he couldn't really see her. Now, he opened them to look at Callum. "For now," he placed a hand on the boys' shoulder. "you make sure to take good care of her. Runaan might not feel up to showing it, but he still loves her as much as I do."
"I will." Callum said, knowing very well that, half of the time, she's the one keeping him in check. Not that Runaan or Ethari needed to know specifics. Ethari nodded before turning around and leaving the house. There was something final about the moment the door closed behind him. The feeling that he wouldn't be back. Somehow, he felt like Rayla was in good hands.
He and Runaan each forced Rayla out of their minds as they embraced. Runaan's heartache was forgotten completely when Ethari looked at him with those sweet amber eyes and he said the four words Runaan had been waiting to hear all week. "Let's go home, Runaan." Runaan smiled at him and they made to the west. The village would be out of sight by nightfall.
Inside, Rayla fell onto the couch with a heavy breath, relieved to at least be done with that mess. She could feel her parents' eyes on her. Sensing the atmosphere, Amaya quickly herded the boys into the kitchen to grant the small family privacy.
Ordinarily, Amaya didn't mind her deafness, but it was times like this she was downright thankful for it; it kept her ears from picking up words that clearly weren't meant for her, and thus couldn't cause undue trouble with interference or curiosity. Soren certainly didn't seem to think so, as one could tell he was trying to listen to the conversation in the other room. Callum and Ezran were sitting at the table, also trying to avoid overhearing.
"So," Callum started, and Ez immediately knew this was meant as a distraction. "Good talk earlier?"
Ezran blushed. In all the commotion, he'd forgotten his and his aunts…uh, talk. "Yeah. It was…uh…"
"Yeah, mine wasn't much better." Callum confessed. "So, any questions? I know things were cut short before."
"Just one;" Ezran said, and he raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Sandwiches?"
"Well, if you think about it a little, it's not a bad metaphor." Callum defended, unable to keep the smile off of his face. A sharp shushing from Soren put an end to this conversation.
No one wanted to be the first to speak. Deciding that it was needed to get out of this torturous silence, though, Rayla forced herself to speak. "I love him."
Lain and Tiadrin looked at each other, neither looking happy about this, but Runaan just now… "We're not crazy about this." Tiadrin told her. "But…you are an adult and can make these decisions for yourself." With how uncomfortable she still was with her daughter having grown up under her nose, it was a wonder how steady her voice was.
Lain was silent. His suspicious glance was directed toward the kitchen. It seemed that he occupied a space in between his wife and old friend; he distrusted the humans but wasn't as angry and ready to fight as Runaan had been. He stood, followed by Tiadrin. "It's been a busy morning for all of us, and, I suspect you have things to do."
"Okay." Rayla said, a bit disheartened at their sudden desire to leave. She was relieved when their embraces were close and sincere as ever; this unexpected revelation did nothing to lessen their love for her. After they broke apart, Lain looked behind her; Callum had come out of the kitchen to watch this. Lain gave him a stern look, less seething than Runaan's had been. If Runaan's message to him was 'you are a filthy human', Lain's was 'you are unworthy of my daughter'.
"I don't care how you feel about me personally." the human told them, "But I'm nothing like Viren. I use my magic to defend and protect. And I would never hurt Rayla. I love your daughter more than my own life, and I'm prepared to do anything to make her happy and keep her safe. She-she's my inspiration."
Tiadrin's gaze softened, but Lain's face was still hard. In any case, he could tell they were considering his speech. They left without another word, though it was clear something had gotten through to them. Maybe. Callum walked over to Rayla and sat beside her when she lowered herself to the couch. She leaned into him and he played with her hair for a moment before the others finally joined them.
"That was intense." Rayla sighed. Callum laughed. "I think they just need to get used to the idea."
"I wanted to say more." he said, "How amazing and strong you are. How you changed my life in so many ways."
"I think it was pretty brave already." Rayla said and kissed him on the cheek before burying her nose in his shoulder in a deep nuzzle. It was the most relaxed she'd felt in the last twenty minutes.
Having come across the old cave the other day, Amer considered himself lucky, blissfully unaware of this cave's colorful history of events in the past few years. It seemed secluded and roomy to him, with only the dull stink of death that could have been from any animal. He'd even found the discoloration left by the rotting carcass. No doubt carried off by a scavenger of some kind, but as long as he was breathing, it wouldn't hurt him. About the only thing of interest was a pouch, and four ordinary coins scattered on the ground. Odd.
Amer wasn't sure how long it had been since his banishment. Surely more than a year, because autumn had arrived a few months after, and here the season was again. His sister had branded him a danger, if he was desperate enough to plant ideas into an angry dragon's head out of prejudice, and declared him banished, saying he should understand how it felt to lose his family and home forever. Further, should he ever show his face in Lux Aurea again, he will be treated as an invader and, needless to say, was no longer a prince. His face was also well known to the more prominent people of Novus, so he didn't think it was worth the risk.
"Well, well, well." A low, deep voice made him jump. He turned toward the cave's opening, where he saw a silhouette. The figure approached, and Amer recognized a Startouch elf, seeing a slight resemblance to Kaiya that pegged them as hailing from the same species. This elf, though, was younger, more impressive and much less warm. Amer rose. "Prince Amer of the Sunfire elves, I presume." He bowed lowly. "I am privileged to be in the presence of such nobility."
Amer was mystified. After at least a year as a vagabond, at last he was being treated with the respect due to him. But why? "I'm sorry, but Queen Janai has banished me. I am no longer a prince."
"Royal blood is royal blood, regardless of titles." the elf told him, "The other elves are close-minded, and the dragons are arrogant. One of the human kingdoms is hardly a loss, and on the subject, was the crime of a dragon. You never lifted a finger; it was all Sol Regem. Who are they to punish you for the actions of another?"
Amer stopped and thought. No, what happened wasn't his fault. It was Sol Regem. He didn't go up to the dragon and force him to set fire to the kingdom, it had been of the creature's own volition. With him dead, they had needed someone to pin the blame on. And – and they had always been against him. Queen Zubeia had overreacted, the other Dragonguard had always picked on him and all he was trying to do was preserve his sisters and that Moonshadow elves' dignity by trying to get those humans away from them.
"Yeah. Yeah, you're right." Amer said, slowly. Overwhelmed by his starved ego suddenly being so thoroughly fed, the former prince missed the Startouch elves' grin. He looked at him. "Wait, who are you?"
"Just call me a family friend for now." The elf said. "Tell me, how did the Sunfire Prince end up in such an ignoble place?"
Callum hadn't meant to come this late in the day, but he didn't think he'd be able to sleep tonight unless he got his answers. He took deep breaths to calm himself. The motion had been such a comfort for the passed couple of years, as though the air itself was saying 'don't worry, you walk with the sky'. Then, he entered the chamber where the queen was.
"Callum?" She observed his troubled face. "What is it?"
Callum was quiet as he pulled the Key of Aaravos out of his bag. The sky rune glowed in response to the sky dragoness, who clearly recognized it. "The Key of Aaravos."
"So, you know what it is?" Callum asked, his heart sinking with negative possibilities.
"Yes." Zubeia told him and she looked to the mirror, which was still present in the room, stored away against a wall. "I suppose it would hardly be a risk now. Hold the star rune to the glass." Callum did so, turning the cube so that the star faced the glass and slowly approached it. He was surprised when it flew from his hand and touched the glass.
The mirror's glass went white. Callum curiously poked his finger into the white and was surprised when his finger went through, leaving ripples as though he had stuck his finger in a still pond. When he removed the key with his free hand, the white went away, leaving the library, and Callum could see the remainder of his finger passed the glass. When he tried to pull back, he panicked to find his finger had become stuck in the glass. "Calm yourself, Callum. Touch the sky rune to the glass." Callum rolled the cube in his free hand and did as she said. The white returned and his finger came out, whole and unharmed, again as easily as water. He pulled the key from the mirror and both the white and the library were gone; it again resembled a standard mirror.
"It really is a key." Callum's voice was full of wonder.
"Had the dark mage not interfered, the key would have unleashed Aaravos." Queen Zubeia said.
'Unlock something of great power in Xadia.' Callum remembered. "This cube has been in my family for generations."
"Well, at least that mystery has been solved." the Dragon Queen said. "Soon after Avizandum imprisoned him, the key disappeared. All of Xadia was searched. We knew the key ending up in the human kingdoms was a possibility, but as far as any of us were concerned, so long as the key and the mirror were kept separate, all was well."
"Do…Do I need to get rid of it?" Callum asked, dreading the answer. He didn't want to let it go. It was a useful tool for mastering arcanums, just plain fun to detect magic with, but above all else, a final gift from the only father he'd ever known.
"Not if you don't wish to." Her words were a great relief. "With Aaravos already loose, the danger from the cube has passed."
"Queen Zubeia, I'm sorry." Callum said, and she looked at him curiously. "I should have brought this to you a long time ago."
"It was no doubt a delicate subject, and the key is obviously of value to you." she returned. "I do not begrudge you this time, on the condition that should anything ever happen with Aaravos again, I receive word of it immediately."
"O-okay." Callum said, his mind finding something to tell her instantly. "Kaiya told me that Aaravos had a son named Aarush, who chose to go with the humans to the west when they were banished from Xadia. She also said that other humans might have been able to do magic, but they were thought to have elven blood that gave them their powers. A-Aaravos came to me in a dream last night. He said…he said that I had the same eyes as Aarush, and he called me his 'son'."
Queen Zubeia lowered her head so that her gaze was on level with Callum's. The blue eyes searched the green for maybe two straight minutes. "Callum, I will not lie and say it's impossible. It's very possible. But ask yourself; would it change anything? If it was proven true tomorrow, would you go to his side, forsaking your loved ones and the world to his ambitions?"
"No!" came the boy's passionate response. "Aaravos is working with Viren, he can't be anything but evil." Queen Zubeia nodded.
"I myself only met Aarush once." she reminisced. "He had returned to Xadia a few decades after the Judgment of the Half-Moon to help stop his father's plans, whatever those had been, we never did find out. If Aarush had left heirs of his own behind in the human kingdoms, he never mentioned it. He managed to assist in imprisoning his father at the cost of his life. Aaravos was right about one thing, though. You do have his eyes. Powerful, pure and full of drive."
"Anything else?" Callum asked, now eager to hear more about Aarush. "Or do you know anything else about Aaravos?"
"I have told you all I know." Zubeia said. "But I know one who might know more. My husband's predecessor, the former Dragon Queen Luna Tenebris. We can make the trip tomorrow, it's getting late." She finished, looking from a sleeping Zym to the rapidly setting sun outside.
"Okay." Callum said, suddenly feeling tired as though the observation of the hour had zapped his energy. He supposed he'd be walking down the spire; he didn't trust his wings when he was this tired. "I'll let the others know. Good night, Queen Zubeia." And he left. The queen hummed her response.
Author's Notes: Don't worry, Lain and Tiadrin will come around to Callum eventually. As for Runaan, well…Anyway, someone's up to his old mindgames again. Also, I hope the key wasn't too anticlimactic, but it seems pretty plausible. Review.