Callum woke up on a bed that was not his own, his entire body was numb. He let out a groan as he tried, and failed, to sit up. A figure stirred next to him, he couldn't make anything out, his vision appeared to be impaired.
"Callum? Are you awake?" It was Rayla that was next to him. "Yeah, yeah I think so. Um, I can't really see anything." Rayla kissed his forehead. "I know, it's a side effect of some sort of medicine Xavier gave you, supposed to help you heal from the blast."
The blast. Of Dark Magic, the one that he had saved Serrene from. "Is Serrene ok? How long was I out?" "Serrene is fine, thanks to you." Rayla ran her hand down his arm, eventually reaching his hand. "You've been out cold for six days."
"Six days?" Callum looked crestfallen. "Are you sure?" Rayla nodded. "Six days, you scared the crap out of me you know." Callum laughed a little. "Sorry." Rayla smiled at him, even though she knew he couldn't see it. "If you ever scare me like that again, I'll throw you off the Storm Spire." They both laughed at the meaningless threat, they were happy to be back together again.
"Queen Zubeia wanted to see you when you woke up." Callum, whose vision was still very blurry, tried to look Rayla in the eye. "I sense a 'but'." Rayla eyed Callum almost greedily. "Buuut, you've been out for six days, and left me in the company of the likes of Jamal and Tobi." Rayla had a smile creeping across her face.
"And you know that they are so boring," she whispered in his ear. "So, as Captain of the Dragonguard, I'm claiming you as mine for the next few hours." She kissed him on the lips. "Not that I'm complaining, but right here? Where anybody could walk in?"
As if on cue, Xavier walked into the room. "He's right you know," Rayla yelped in surprise. "Just 'bout anybody could walk in." Rayla's face turned pink. "Xavier! Get out of here!" Xavier just chuckled. "Sorry Captain, but you don't give the orders in here, the infirmary is my domain."
"So, until his vision returns and the sedative wears off, he is staying right there. Not to mention you wouldn't have had any fun anyway, he is in no condition to move any part of his body, that includes everything below the waist." Rayla's face went red and Callum chuckled nervously. Xavier left the room and shut the door as an empty tray hit the door right where his head was.
Callum, with a monumental amount of effort, grabbed Rayla's hand. "You kept it in for six days, what's a few more hours." Rayla sighed, laying her head next to Callum's. "But I want you right now." She didn't care if she sounded childish, she just wanted to be with Callum. "So what exactly did Xavier give me? I can hardly feel anything."
"I have no clue, some concoction of a sedative and some medicine." Callum closed his eyes. "Great." The door opened behind them to reveal a little dragon, little by draconic standards anyway. "Hi Zym." Rayla said, "Come to check-in on Callum?" Zym had grown a lot in 3 years. He was no longer the baby dragon they had brought to the Storm Spire, Zym was now as big as Rayla. Dragons grew really fast apparently.
Zym came over and licked Callum's face, speaking in a series of chirps and growls. He couldn't quite talk yet, but he was able to form some words. "Ah, hey, stop it!" Callum said as Zym licked his face some more. Rayla laughed, finding immense entertainment in seeing Callum try to push Zym off of him. "Ok Zym, I think that's enough," Rayla told the young dragon who proceeded to back off.
"Zym! Zym? Where did you go?" Someone called from the hallway beyond the infirmary. Serrene entered the room, "Have you guys se- Ah! There you are!" she said once she spotted Azymondias. "Oh, Callum. You're awake." Serrene looked at the floor. "Well, I have to get Azymondias back to his mother now, she'll want to know that you're awake. Come on now Zym." "What's wrong with Serrene?" Rayla looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Callum now looked confused. "What do you mean, 'what do I mean', she never calls me by my name." Rayla sat upright. "She must still be hung up on the fact that you got hurt saving her. Give it time, it'll pass." Xavier, with extreme caution, came back into the room and told them that the Dragon Queen wished to see them immediately, if Callum was up to it.
"Of course, I'll be right there." He sat up slowly, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He stood up shakily, and tried to walk, but fell to one knee. "Callum! Are you ok?" Rayla said, dropping down to help him up. "I'm fine, I'm fine, I just could use a little help." Xavier looked like he was about to protest, but Rayla just shook her head. If Callum had decided that he was going to get up and see the Queen, nothing was going to change his mind. So Rayla put Callum's arm over her shoulder and hauled him up.
They, slowly, made their way to the Dragon Queen's chambers. As they entered Callum could make out the fuzzy shapes of the other members of the Dragonguard, he figured Ibis was in there somewhere, even if he couldn't see him. "Prince Callum, I hope that you are doing better." The thundering voice of the Dragon Queen rang out through the space. "Of course, just a little bit of rest and I'll be better."
Rayla stifled a laugh, Callum's sight had most definitely not returned, he was talking to the wall. "Umm Callum, that's the wall." Callum looked around confused. "Wait, what? If that's the- Then where is…" Everyone was trying to hold in their laughs, taking away some of the odd tension that had been building. "I'm right over here Callum."
"Yeah, right over...here?" Callum shifted around, and was now facing the opposite wall. "No you dummy, here." Rayla said as she positioned Callum so that he was facing the Dragon Queen.
"As I understand it Callum, you saved Serrene's life six days ago in that cave." Callum nodded. "Yes your Majesty." "You also saw what was in that cave, correct?" Callum's face went dark. "Yes, your majesty. I hope those elves got a proper burial."
"Indeed they did, thanks to you and Serrene finding that cave." Serrene perked up at the mention of her name. "Serrene had a coin purse with her when we got to you two, but has adamantly refused to let anyone open it until you were awake."
Serrene walked over to Callum and placed the purse in his hand. "You needed to be the one to show them." She turned from Rayla to the Dragon Queen, and back to Rayla as she said, "What you're going to see won't be...pleasant."
"Then perhaps we can save it for another day, today is a happy occasion, we wouldn't want to spoil it." Callum looked up, right past the Queen and to the ceiling. "Happy occasion, did I miss another Xadian holiday?" Queen Zubeia let out a hearty laugh before addressing Callum.
"No Callum, this is not a holiday, rather, an induction." Callum was now beyond confused. "What, induction?" Rayla just shut him up. "Be quiet, you idiot." The Queen continued. "Prince Callum, you not only have done me and Xadia a great many services, but six days ago you helped find the lair of a wanted Dark Mage, you helped put three souls to rest, and you selflessly saved the life of one of my Dragonguard."
Callum was slowly connecting the dots. "You have shown more bravery and commitment than most would in a lifetime, you have been as faithful to me as anyone of my Dragonguard." Callum looked to Rayla, who had a tear in her eye. "Wait, you don't mean-" Queen Zubeia just nodded. "I do, Prince Callum, as of today, I am officially appointing you to the Dragonguard, congratulations."
Callum was dumbfounded. "This is...I am...I mean...I don't know what to say." Callum had a broad grin on his face. "This is the greatest honor of my life, thank you, but I don't know if I can accept." The whole room went quiet. "What do you mean?" Queen Zubeia asked. "If I accept, it will be the greatest honor and privilege of my life, but Rayla would be able to win every argument we ever have…" Everyone had a laugh at that, including Rayla.
"Oh! Callum, we made somethin for ya." Rayla said as she helped him over to where the other Dragonguard were. "I had Jamal and Ibis help me with this." They held out fuzzy pieces of metal. "Wow, Rayla, that's...amazing. Er, What is it?"
"It's your own set of Dragonguard armor, the pieces that go over your arms match the runes there, so you can use your wings with your armor." Callum was at a loss for words. "I can't… I want to… I don't… how long have you been planning this?" He said, not really directed towards anybody, but simply hoping for some sort of justification. "Prince Callum, you are brave, kind and devoted, and on top of that, I am proud to say that I can call you a friend." Queen Zubeia spoke behind them. "You and your family."
"Thank you, your majesty, but a human on the Dragonguard?" The Queen smiled, about as much as a dragon can smile, "The Dragonguard has been one man short for far too long, and I want you to fill that role. If anybody has a problem with it, they can take it up with me." Callum was overwhelmed. He didn't know what to think. First, there had been that weird, dark magic-induced, fever dream with that strange voice. Now he was an official member of the Dragonguard.
"So, what do you think of the armor?" Ibis came up behind Callum and put a hand on his shoulder. "And congratulations." Callum turned and started talking to who he thought was Ibis, but turned out to be Tobi. "How about I reserve judgment for when I can actually see the armor." Ibis chuckled. "Fair enough, rest up Callum, you deserve it."
After many congratulations, and a short party that was really just a few shots of some Xadian alcohol Callum had never heard of before. According to Rayla, a few drinks of that was enough to knock you on your ass and give you the worst hangover of your life. So just a shot glass or two to celebrate, then Callum went back to his and Rayla's room.
Callum's head was pounding. "Ugh, Damien wassss lying abou thaaa thirdshot, definitely not what I needed." "You had three?!" Rayla sounded shocked. "I told you just a few were enough to knock someone on their ass." Callum, whose vision, and walking had now gotten worse stumbled into the room and onto the bed. "Yeah, but yousaid yersellf, I'm bassically one of you noww." Great, Rayla thought to herself, Oh I'm so going to kick your ass for getting my boyfriend drunk Damien.
"Callum, that doesn't make you an actual elf. Sure you may now have the strength and endurance of one, but you're not." Callum sat down on the bed and swayed a little bit to the side. "Youurrr reallly pretty, you knoww thaa." Rayla rolled her eyes, even though she was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol now too. "Why do I bother." After making sure Callum was asleep, Rayla went back out into the hallway.
She wanted Callum so badly. Six days now he had been gone, six days she was scared for his life. But to take him while he was drunk and helpless, she wouldn't do it. Everyone was most likely trying to sleep off the alcohol Damien gave them. Earhtblood elves had a higher tolerance for alcoholic effects, but that was no excuse to get everyone in the Storm Spire drunk.
She found Xavier and Damien laughing their asses off with Kayde and Tobi in a card game. She tried to find out what was going on but stumbled and fell on her way over. That sparked even more laughter from the Earthblood brothers. "You're about as stable as Callum, Captain." Xavier said in between laughs.
"Well, one of you gave Callum three shots of whatever the hell that was, so BOTH of you are on double duty for the next week." The table went silent, Tobi and Kayde were trying to contain their laughter. "If I hear anything out of you two before I leave the room, you can also have double shifts," Rayla said pointedly at Tobi and Kayde, shutting them up. "Goodnight, and If nothing explodes or burns down from now until I get rid of this impending hangover, I might forget about your double shifts."
As Rayla made her way out of that area, she could have sworn she heard the words, 'spiked,' 'Xadia,' and 'whiskey' before a barrage of laughter. It's not worth it, she thought to herself as she braced herself on the wall, I'm too drunk to be taken seriously anyway. A few minutes later she stumbled into the bedroom, not being bothered to change, she just flopped on the bed and went to sleep, the first peaceful one she had in six days.
Sorry, this chapter took so long, I had to rewrite it a couple of times. I had always planned on Callum joining the Dragonguard, and showing them the coin purse, but I just couldn't put the two in the same chapter. It just didn't feel right, I couldn't make it flow. The next chapter is already on the way, hopefully I'll be able to finish it a lot sooner than this one. I hope you enjoyed!