Dangerous
Chapter Five: Color Me Impressed

"Ready?" Rayla asked, grinning at Callum.

They were on the branches of a giant lopsided tree that sat at the edge of a cliff. It dwarfed them in the midday sun.

He nodded and shifted to a more comfortable position. He sat against the giant stem as Rayla chopped away at it. Then, she plopped down with her back to Callum, who wrapped his arms around her waist.

The giant double-winged leaf dangled for a second, hanging by a thread. A sinking feeling gripped them for a few moments before the stem finally broke under their weight.

Then they dropped, suddenly weightless, both shrieking and laughing as they fell.

The leaf's natural aerodynamics kicked into gear, slowing their descent as it began spinning. Callum tightened his grip around her as the world around them whirled, blurring as they spiralled downwards in wide arcs.

The wind whipped at their faces, their laughter lost on the wind. Her silver hair tickled him, suspended in the air as they spun. They broke through the trees and the ground became bigger and bigger as they approached.

They were still laughing as they skidded to a stop. They stayed there for a few minutes, not wanting to let go just yet. Callum grinned into her hair as they caught their breath, and she leaned back into him, carefully angling her head to avoid poking him with her horns.

Then, from the corner of his eye, Callum spotted a few specks of color in a nearby bush. He gave her a quick kiss by the ear and gently disentangled himself from her. He walked to the shrubs and she followed, taking the small basket they brought with them.

"Found them!" he said excitedly.

He began picking grape-sized fruits that Rayla had called paintberries. They plucked a handful of each color, but he took more of the yellows, reds, and oranges. Callum also picked a few white berries and put them away in a box with the rest. He stowed the box in his light pack, and it clacked with his charcoal and brushes.

"That's what we came back down for?" Rayla asked, gesturing to the paintberry bushes and then the high cliff they had come from. Her tone was teasing as she made a face of mock-disbelief. "Now we have to go all they way back up!"

"Let me worry about that," he laughed as he pulled her towards another, smaller cliff.

He turned to her. He pushed back his blue cloak and drew his arms forward, parallel to the ground. Seeing what he was about to do, she stepped close and threw her arms around his neck. He closed his eyes, breathing in.

"Manus. Pluma. Volantis."

His voice was barely above a whisper, his breath caressing her forehead. Slowly, familiar brown feathers bloomed along Callum's arms. When he opened his eyes, wings had completely replaced his arms.

"So…we've been walking all this time when we could've been flying?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I thought your arms were sore from all smith-ing you did?"

"They are sore. I can manage up to the tree but that's about it. Besides," he shrugged. "You happen to like bumpy rides, right?"

She swatted his chest, laughing as she recalled her little attempt at flirting during their first journey together. He wrapped his wings around Rayla, enveloping her in fuzzy warmth for a few beats before hopping off of the low cliff.

They swooped up gracefully into the bright blue sky. With Rayla clinging to him, he flew them in a wide circle above the tree. It was a different sensation from the spinning leaf. With him, she felt at ease; completely safe in his feathery arms.

Callum swept fluidly down towards the tree, using muscle memory from years of practice. And with one final flap of his wings, he landed them gently.

He released the spell and Rayla gave him a quick peck on the lips, a silent thanks, before letting go. She walked over to the high cliff, looking at the distant horizon as she set down the basket.

The world sprawled out before them, Xadia on one side and Katolis on the other. She tried to pick out the border, but it had become less and less clear over the years. It was such a small thing; she might have been the only one who even paid attention to it. But it was also a good thing, and a smile tugged at her lips.

Callum padded up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. She leaned back on his shoulder and he nuzzled her by the ear. They were quiet for a while. Something told her that Callum sensed her thoughts, because he, too, scanned the horizon.

He was the first to draw back, turning his attention to the basket. He pulled out its contents: a blanket, a parcel of food, and two bottles filled with wine and water. She helped him set up, placing rocks at the corners of the blanket.

Even under the tree's shade, the air was hot from the summer sun. Callum casted a quick aspiro frigis on the bottles. They frosted and then condensed, beads of moisture gathering on the surface.

He downed a glass of water before handing a glass of wine to Rayla and pouring one for himself. Drink in hand, he took a seat beside her as she opened the food parcel, revealing the Starnut and Moonberry jelly sandwiches they had prepared, as well as a bundle of jelly tarts. The aroma wafted in the air as they settled down on their picnic blanket.

They ate and laughed as they drank. When they finished the food and wine, the sun was lower in the sky, and the conversation had turned to Ezran.

"We've had the sandwich talk," Callum said, sitting back on his hands behind him.

"Oh? And what did you say to him?" She knew what the sandwich talk meant; he had told her the story behind it when they first teased the young king about a certain monarch from their neighboring kingdom.

"I told him to start wearing a scarf. You know, something Queen Aanya can get into the habit of stealing?" Callum smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously at her. She snorted, her hand instinctively clutching the red scarf that, despite the heat, she kept around her neck.

"Are you sure he should be taking dating advice from you?" Her eyebrows quirked, but her tone was light. He gave her a lopsided grin.

"I told him that a date around Xadia would do wonders."

"That's prime gossip, you know," she said, smiling.

"Please, like there aren't rumors already. He'd be at Duren right now if he wasn't at Lux Aurea to–" he paused, catching himself.

"–to uh, visit Aunt Amaya," he finished. He glanced at her. If she'd noticed his slight pause, she didn't say.

"Probably. She'd be good for him, you know. They both would," she said, nodding to herself. "So, when do I get to finally see this new staff of yours?"

"Oh, right!"

Callum stood. He pulled out the staff out of his cloak and held it out in front of him. Its length was about half his height, lined with trimmings of Katolian wine and gold.

"It took you two weeks to make that?" Rayla teased, drawing a chuckle from Callum.

He sliced the staff down diagonally. It doubled in length as it unfolded a second section that lined up perfectly with the first. It snapped into place and Callum struck the ground with the hilt. Two uneven prongs flicked out at the head, completing the staff.

The whole thing reminded Rayla of Sarai's spear.

"Pretty cool, right? It's a foldable staff! It's light but strong, so I can just – " he finished by folding the staff and slinging it across his back. "And this way, I can still use my mage wings…just as soon as my arms stop hurting."

"It's…nice," Rayla agreed, admiring both the staff's craftsmanship and his enthusiasm. "Got any neat spells to go with it?"

Callum quickly drew a rune with two hands, something she hadn't seen before. Then he reached back and pulled out his staff, unfolding it in one fluid motion.

"Fulminis," he chanted as he brought the staff down to the ground with a thump.

Lightning crackled as it zapped its way up the staff and shot into the goldening sky. And when the lightning had completely gone, Callum turned to Rayla with a wide grin. She looked from him to the staff, and back. She was impressed. Between the double-handed runes and the staff, it was certainly faster and a lot more controlled.

"Show off," she rolled her eyes, but her lips curled into a smile. He laughed as he snapped the staff closed and rested it against the tree. He turned to her again and his breath hitched.

Her hair swayed slightly in the breeze. Tiny yellow and peach-colored flowers rained from the tree above them. The sun was edging towards the horizon in the west, bathing them in Sunfire gold and casting pinkish-purple hues on Xadia's distant clouds.

"Rayla," he called. "I, well…will you, uh, will you let me paint you?"

She didn't know why, but heat tinged her cheeks. He had sketched her privately so many times before, but somehow this felt different. Something in the way he asked her. As if it held a deeper meaning. She nodded.

She watched him walk over to his pack and gathered the paintberries, a brush, charcoal, a few large leaves, and his sketchbook. He crushed the berries and mixed them with water on the leaves. He produced a large piece of paper tucked into his sketchbook, laying it out in front of him.

His strokes were quick and measured; years of practice guiding his hand. He worked deftly and silently, looking up from time to time as the sun hung low in the sky.

He painted the sky in pastel gradients of yellows and oranges. He colored the landscape in pale greens and blues. He drew the tree in chestnut browns and autumn red.

He paused and looked over to her. She felt the intensity of his stare; a mix of concentration, heat, and awe. She fidgeted, not really sure how to pose or where to put her hands. The wine helped, but she still wasn't used to being drawn.

He smiled and walked up to her, reaching out a hand. She took it and he helped her to her feet. He hopped on one leg and extended his arms sideways.

"Do you remember the steps?" Callum asked, leg in the air. Her eyebrows shot up.

"You can't be serious. We're not at the Silvergrove," she said, incredulous.

"Just dance with me."

She rolled her eyes, but started the ritual with him. They circled each other in a familiar pattern, spinning and stepping as imaginary runes began to glow under their feet. Their little dance hadn't changed since they first did it, but Callum still managed to somehow stumble his way through it.

Some things never changed.

Rayla twirled in a flourish as they finished. She found herself smiling, despite herself. He stepped close and cupped her cheek.

"I love you," Callum said seriously.

"I love you, too," she returned warmly.

"Gross," he said, scrunching his nose at her, and then dodged a playful swat from the laughing elf. "I'll be right back."

She was visibly more relaxed as he jogged to his painting. She closed her eyes, clasped her hands behind her, and twisted her legs together. She hummed as she felt the slight breeze on her face, in her hair. He finished his painting with quick, short strokes of his brush.

Then, she felt something tickling her – something light, something damp – moving up the exposed skin of her arm, her shoulders, and then her chin.

Her eyes flew open. The brush was in his hand, the bristles cleaned with water. He circled her face with the brush; her nose, her markings, her forehead, and her ear. When he brushed her lips, she parted them eagerly.

He placed one finger under her chin, tilting her head towards his. His head dipped as he slanted a kiss to her lips. Rayla lifted up into him instantly, her arms looping around his neck instinctively.

Callum pulled her flush against him. He deepened the kiss, alternating between her top and bottom lips. He swiped his tongue against her bottom lip and she rolled tongue against his.

He could taste the wine on her lips and her flavor on her tongue. He sought more, kissing her until her head was swimming with desire. They parted. She wore a high flush and heavy lidded eyes, her chest heaving from the sweet torrent of his lips.

His mouth was on her again instantly, latching onto her skin as he kissed his way up to her ear. He traced the outline of her long ear and caught her earlobe in his mouth, sending pleasurable shivers up her spine. She tugged off the scarf, exposing her neck.

Callum moved down, nipping at her throat before soothing it with his tongue. She gasped when he sucked at her pulse point. She removed his cloak, then her holsters, tossing her blades with them.

Rayla steered them towards the picnic blanket and fell backwards, pulling him down with her. He helped her take off her guards and shirt and bindings, leaving her topless. They locked lips again as Callum laid her down. He bit down gently on the juncture of her neck and shoulders, earning him tiny, feminine whimpers.

He pulled back and procured the brush. Then, he trailed the brush from her neck to her navel. His mouth followed, leaving wet licks in its wake.

He swirled the brush around her breast, homing in on a nipple while his mouth closed over the other. He licked at the tight bud and she sighed breathily. Callum sucked firmly before moving back to her neck. He dragged his tongue down to the valley between her breasts before he gave her other nipple the same treatment.

He let the brush caress her skin, running it from her breast to her ribs and to her stomach, raising goosebumps wherever it touched. He drew invisible runes, swirling eddies, and abstract shapes. It traveled everywhere, setting every part of her aflame.

Rayla gave a low moan when the wooden end of the brush nudged at her clothed sex. He tugged her nipple into his mouth, sucking even as he continued to rub her between her thighs. She writhed beneath him, desire coursing through her veins.

she sighed his name. Slowly, he kissed his way down her torso, adding a few nips and bites for good measure. He pulled off her boots, tossing them aside. He unbuckled her moon-shaped belt, allowing him to slide her teal leggings and underwear down.

He brought his face close to her center. He inhaled, her scent sweet and heady. Juices flowed from her center, and he lapped them up before running his tongue up and down her seam.

She moaned and her hands flew to his hair, gasping as Callum flicked her clit with the flat of his tongue. The brush now gone, he pushed a finger into her, groaning as he felt just how hot and tight and wet she was. He gave a few pumps before a second digit joined the first.

"Callum…"

She could feel him smile against her nether lips, even as he sucked at her sensitive bundle of nerves. She could practically imagine his chest swelling with pride. His hard member grazed her foot and her lips curled. His chest wasn't the only one swollen.

She peeled Callum's head and fingers from her sex, moaning softly at the loss. In one swift move, she rolled them over and placed two hands on his shoulders, pinning him to the ground. Then, she swung a leg over his lap, straddling him.

She slammed a rough kiss to his lips and she all but tore away his shirt and belt. She peppered his pecs and abs with hot licks and hungry kisses, making Callum moan. When she found the waistband of his pants, she yanked them down to bunch at his knees.

Rayla she positioned herself above him. He couldn't help but admire the sight of her. Flushed cheeks, swollen lips, chest heaving, eyes clouded with lust.

Beautiful.

Slowly, she sank onto him, moaning as his thick cock parted her wet folds. She planted both palms on his chest as he bottomed out snugly inside her. She began to ride him, impaling herself on his length again and again.

Rayla's back arched when he thrust upwards to meet her crashing hips. She moaned, raking her nails on his chest as pleasure roared in her veins. He gripped her hips, guiding her as he timed his thrusts with hers.

She gasped when he reached between them and found her clit again. She bucked forward instinctively, and she found herself leaning back, her hands moving to his thighs to give him better access. She ground onto him, rolling her hips forwards and backwards as he continued his onslaught on her clit. She moaned, low and breathy. She could feel the gentle pressure inside her simmering as she glided back and forth.

Callum sat up and their mouths met again in a frantic kiss, desperate and hungry and claiming. She tasted herself on his tongue, the scent of her on his breath more potent than any wine from Duren. He licked at the sheen of sweat on her chest, savoring the sweetness of salt on her skin.

He wrapped his arms around her, spreading one hand on her lower back and the other on her shoulder blade. Her fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him as close as possible. Her breasts pressed onto the hard contours of his body.

She took him as much as he took her. Together, they moved in unison as they careened towards bliss. He could feel her tightening around his member, her warmth completely enveloping him. His thumb played with her clit as he whispered little encouragements to her. Her vision began to dance with colorful sparks. Her lavender eyes were clouded and unfocused, the fire in her threatening to consume her entirely. Her moans began to rise in a crescendo.

She gasped and sighed his name into the wind as her body tensed, then shook as she tumbled into a hard orgasm. She settled on his lap, his length fully sheathed inside her. Her pussy gripped him and coiled around him rhythmically, milking him for all she was worth. He bit his lip and knitted his brows together, trying to ride out her orgasm. But he could not hold out. Her core gave a particular hard clench and he spilled himself into her with a few rough thrusts.

She collapsed on top of him, chest heaving as she took little gulps of air. His own breathing was ragged. he kissed her hair and stroked her back as she trembled in the aftershocks. They basked in the sensation, warmth spreading through them.

When they floated down from bliss, the last rays of golden light were fading as the sun dipped below the horizon. Distant lights dotted the landscape as the day turned to dusk. The waxing quarter moon hung above them, blanketing them in soft, ethereal light.

"Mmm…that was amazing," she purred tenderly, like a sated Moonstrider.

Her voice was hoarse and she blushed as she realized at how loud she must have been. She found, however, that she didn't care very much. Not when he held her this close. Like he wouldn't ever let her go.

Rayla shivered as the wind blew softly. The temperature dropped as the heat from their lovemaking dissipated. She pulled off of him, letting his glistening manhood to fall between them. She whimpered at the loss and kissed him lazily.

"Yeah, I'll definitely have to paint you again," he chuckled. She giggled with him.

"Which reminds me, you never showed me that painting," she said, moving off of him and gathering her discarded clothes. Luckily they weren't blown away by the wind.

He handed her some water and she took a big gulp. She got a cloth and cleaned herself, then tossed it to Callum who wiped himself off, too. They dressed in comfortable silence.

"Later, but first I want you to see a new spell," he said casually, not bothering to put on his cloak even as the cold began to set in.

He went to retrieve his staff. The air now colder, and she adjusted his scarf a little more snugly, sighing as she felt the fuzzy material warm her neck.

"Watch this," Callum said, snapping her out of her thoughts as he walked back to her.

He drew a rune she didn't recognize, his hand bobbing in the air in a pattern that reminded her of waves in the sea.

"Choros Lumina," he murmured. A ball of white light appeared between the uneven prongs of his staff. Then, he extended his arm overhead. The light streaked upward, slightly sizzling as it pierced the midnight blue sky and disappeared as quickly as it had come. The beam of light left some warmth that displaced the cold, for which she was grateful.

The stars remained, quiet and still. Rayla waited a few seconds but nothing else happened.

"That was neat, Callum," Rayla started, her tone teasing. "But you might need a little more prac-"

She cut herself off when the first wisps of tall, green light appeared directly above them, weaving slowly towards the horizon. One by one, a new wave of light faded in from the darkness, bobbing and weaving outward to the distant snow-capped mountains.

Yellow. Pink. Purple. Green. Rayla spun as colorful lights kept emerging, naming every color she could as they changed hues and brilliance. The landscape was bathed in colors she had never even dreamed of. They danced against the star-sprinkled canopy of the night sky, rippling and stretching to the horizon, bat. Never before had she seen this many lights, even in the magic-filled lands of Xadia. They were pretty, interweaving together and creating gradients of colors even rainbows lacked.

"Okay, color me impressed, you showoff," she said in a mix of wonder and amazement at the brilliant display. He said nothing, letting her take in the lights show with big, purple eyes. "Now, this is what you should have painted."

She turned to Callum grinning and then gasped, because there he was-

On one knee.

For a moment, Rayla stared wide-eyed in surprise and confusion. Colorful lights illuminated his face from above, changing softly as they continued swirling above them. And then her gaze fell onto the square box he was holding. Inside it was a ring that gleamed and glinted as it caught the light of the borealis above. Next to it was a pair of white, round horncuffs.

"C-Callum?" she said with a trembling breath. "What…what are you doing?"

He took a deep breath. He'd been making heartfelt speeches to her for as long as he knew her. He did it at the Moon Nexus. He did it at the Oasis. And he'd been giving her little speeches ever since. He'd played this in his mind for about half a year, practiced it by himself every chance he got. He should have had it practiced to perfection.

And yet…

His heart hammered, his pulse ringing in his ears. His mind blanked, draining of all the words he spent weeks memorizing. His voice caught in his throat, squeezing the air out of his lungs.

So he whispered what he could, the only thing he felt in his heart of hearts. "Rayla, I love you. You're beautiful and strong and kind. I love how brave you are, how genuine you are, how caring you are. I love everything about you. You are my love, my life, and my troublemaker."

He swallowed drily, but his hands remained steady, his eyes unwaveringly on hers.

"You were there when I used Dark magic and you were there when I learned Sky magic. I thought I was lucky then, that all I ever wanted to be was a mage. But to have fallen in love with you, my best friend, is the luckiest I will ever be."

Tears began to prickle at her eyes.

"These are what I was actually making when we were at the Silvergrove. Ethari has also given me his blessing. Aunt Amaya and Queen Janai, too. That's, uh, kind of why Ezran really had to go to Lux Aurea. I mean, I asked them myself already, about a year ago? But he's there to tell them my plan and–"

"Callum, shut up," Rayla cut in before he could ramble on, even as she wiped away a tear that had rolled down her cheek. "Just shut up and ask me."

"Rayla, will you marry me?"

She murmured her answer, her breath carrying to his ears and then lost to the wind.

"Yes. Yes, I will marry you, you stupid, wonderful prince," she sobbed with a smile.

Callum exhaled, not realizing that he'd been holding his breath. He stood, placing the engagement ring on the middle finger of her left hand and together, they slipped the horncuffs on her too, its white matching the silver of her hair and contrasting with the purple of her horns.

And then she was kissing him, cupping his face in both hands as she slotted her lips against his again and again. She pulled back, her gaze flicking from his eyes to the ring, and then back. Her expression had melted from surprise to affection, giggling and touching and whispering sweet nothings until the last of the magic lights faded.

She kissed him as hard as she dared, for all she was worth.

Because today, and for the rest of her days, he would be hers and she would be his.

fin

A/N:

This is by far my favorite chapter of this story. There was a lot I wanted to include , so apologies if there wasn't as much smut as the previous chapters! I know, I know, there was a lot of potential with that brush. Maybe another time/story ;)

I channeled the proposal scenes that have affected me the most: Chandler and Monica (Friends) and Jake and Amy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine).

When I first set out on this story, I intended for it to be a oneshot. But I loved these two so much that I couldn't help myself.

If you got this far, thank you for reading! Come say hi over at Tumblr! :)