Harrow had never considered himself a wise man. Experienced? Yes, but wise? No. He had made far too many mistakes to call himself wise.
From letting himself get consumed by vengeance, to allowing his wife to sacrifice herself, all his failings and mistakes were painted clearly across the lives of himself and his family. All tearing them apart from the inside out, causing the many rifts that now kept them apart.
He knew that was his fault, he wasn't blind. But taking responsibility and making amends were two very different things. Fortunately, thanks to both his best friend and his wise counsel, he was able to keep the conversation of his failures within his family, not letting it spread into his kingdom.
No, wise wasn't a word Harrow would ever use for himself. All the right decisions he had made, all the good he had done for his people, that had been because he had been able to make educated decisions based on experience. Something he believed could take the place of true wisdom. Something he sorely lacked.
Now however? Sitting in his throne room listening to Soren's and Callum's report, he wasn't so sure. After all, in all his years, he had never heard of anything quite like this before.
"A Black Dragonborn? Preposterous!" Viren declared to Harrow's right. His eyes wide, voice agitated. "There are no Black Dragonborn tribes this side of Neolandia! Least of all one that proficient in Necromancy! If such a powerful wizard existed, the Pentarchy would have known about them!"
Snarling in frustration, the Arch Mage swiftly turned to his attendant, banging his staff on the ground as he threw his arm out. "Dispatch the court wizards to the scene of the crime!" Be ordered. "Have them scour the area! Bring anything they can find back to me! I will personally lead the charge in finding this rogue wizard! Such insolence will not go unpunished! He will face justice for daring to challenge the might of Katolis!"
"And send word to every major settlement within the kingdom." The woman on his left, Opeli, his chief adviser, added. Turning to her own aid, a hard and stern expression on her face. "I want a bounty placed on this one's head. See to it he has no allies and no assistance. Smoke him out of wherever he's hiding, and send him screaming into our clutches."
"Yes, ma'am/sir!" The two replied. Saluting them before racing off, down the steps that led up to the throne and out the large, double doors.
Turning to watch them go, Callum let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, relief flooding his body. Glad that tonight's events, or he guessed technically last night's events, would soon be all a distant memory.
However, despite this sentiment, a part of him still held onto a fair amount of apprehension. After all, the way the Dragonborn talked, it sounded more like it was a job than any personal scheme of his own machinations. Which meant, even if he was caught, whoever had hired him was still out there, waiting for another opportunity to strike.
Swallowing this fear, Callum turned back to the king and his high council, the young prince's eyes flicking to his side to more…immediate matters.
"Soren. Report all this and more to the other captains of the Crown Guard." Harrow ordered, waving the young man to rise. "Ensure they know what we're up against and have them tighten security not just on the castle, but the tombs of the other kings as well. From now on, until we catch the ones responsible for this attack, nobody is to be allowed near either unless we know exactly who they are. No bagger, no soldiers, not even visiting nobles are to be around them until they are vetted by a court appointed in the presence of at least two other trustworthy individuals. Understood?"
"Yes, your majesty!" Soren said with a bow. Then, quickly turning and leaving the room, shooting Callum an apologetic look before disappearing down the hallway, leaving the prince alone in the room as the Arch Mage turned towards the center of the room.
"Now, while that's happening. Shall we discuss what to do about our next co-conspirer?"
With that, Viren gave a wave to the group of four guards who stood in the corner of the room, the head nodding in response before roughly pushing the person in the center forward. Her much smaller frame caused her to stumble as she was forced into the center of the room.
"Gah!" The Drow cried as she was forced to kneel at the base of the throne. Her arms bound behind her back and her cloak and weapons confiscated leaving her with nothing to defend herself with save the angry glare she sent the guard who was manhandling her, his hand resting on her shoulder forcefully to prevent her from getting up.
"Now, what's a Drow doing in our fair kingdom of Katolis?" Viren spoke with contempt as he looked down on her. Eyes cold and probing as he took a few steps down the steps to get closer to the elf. "Come to pillage our farms? Burn our libraries? Rape our children?"
Scowling at the accusations and the condescending tone, the Drow let out a snarl as she looked up at the Arch Mage, eyes narrowed to slits before rolling them exasperatedly.
"Oh yeah. That's definitely why I'm here." She said voice dripping in sarcasm. "Had just finished burning ya port to the ground to make a nice bit of charcoal for meself before I headed off to find a twelve year old to kidnap. Figured jumpen into a battle between an obviously royal escort and an obviously evil Necromancer would have been a perfect opportunity to whisk away a wee little one to satisfy my uncontrollable urge. That's definitely the most logical reasoning right there ya lanky goat."
Unable to help himself, Callum turned away and clamped his hand over his mouth as he let out a snort. His attempts to silence his laughter not going unnoticed, the boy practically feeling the icy cold stares from his stepfather and his council.
"If not to ruin us, why are you here?" Viren pressed on, eyebrow twitching as he shot a dirty look at the prince. "How did you even get past the border? General Amaya has been diligently beating back your kind for almost a decade. You're the first to ever make it past her watchful eye. What dark magic did you conjure to slip past our defenses? Well? Speak, elf!"
"Don't get snippy with me! I didn't use any 'dark magic'!" The elf replied, her tone sounding somewhat offended. "There are ways to get to the surface beyond the known borders. Small, hidden passageways that nobody would ever know as their either too small or too dangerous for most to try. I managed to brave one of them and slip by unnoticed. Barely getting past a camp of sleeping Stone Giants. Something which is not easy incase you're wondering."
A note of pride in that last bit, the elf shifted her gaze from Viren to Harrow, her face firm, but respectful. Her tone took on an equivalent energy as she next spoke.
"And while we're on the subject, my name isn't elf or Drow. It's Rayla."
Raising an eyebrow at the elf, Rayla, Viren's face contorted, his mouth becoming a thin line as his eyes darkened. The man was clearly irritated by the tone in which she spoke to him. Not that she seemed to care.
"I don't care what your name is, Elf. It doesn't matter in the slightest." He spat with contempt. "I care about what you want. What were you doing in the forest when the Prince was attacked? Were you looking for a chance to take his head? Or perhaps hoping for a chance to assassinate the king or myself? Speak! What are you plotting to do to our fair kingdom?"
"I'm not plotting anything!" Rayla snapped back, the girl angrily trying to rise only for the guard to push her back down. "I was heading to the coastline to get my barring before I made my way east! That's when I stumbled upon the carriage and decided to lend a helping hand! At the time, I thought it was the right thing to do, and if I helped the noble inside, they might reward me with a few pieces of gold to help me on my travels! If I had known I'd be dragged before ya bunch of ingrates, I wouldn't have bothered!"
"Ouch. That kind of hurt." Callum thought to himself. While he could understand why Rayla was so upset, he still felt like that jab had been thrown at him personally for playing a part in her capture by taking her while she was unconscious. Though in fairness, it was kinda a dick move.
"Traveling East? What do you mean?" Opeli asked, taking a step down the stairs. "What mission has your horrific mistress sent you on? What is she plotting on doing in the East?"
Rolling her eyes once again, Rayla threw her head back, letting out an exasperated groan before whipping it back towards the council, her voice prickling with irritation.
"How many stinkin times do I have to say it?" She demanded. "I. Am. NOT. Plotting.
ANYTHING! And as for my 'mistress', she can go to all nine hells for all I care! Because I am done! With her, with the cult that runs her church, with everything!" Rayla spat the word mistress with a voice full of contempt, her hands shaking with barely repressed rage.
Clearly there was some repressed emotions there, but as for what, Callum couldn't tell. Though this did peak his interest, making him wonder what exactly lay at the bottom of such deep seeded rage. After all, anger like that didn't exist without a reason, something he knew better than most.
"Done? What do you mean, you're done?" Opeli asked, coming to a stop next to Viren. "Surely you don't mean-?"
The woman broke off as she saw Rayla raise her head, looking straight at them with a fire burning in her eyes, answering the question before she even began to speak.
"Yes, that's right. I've chosen to forsake Lolth the spider queen and venture out by myself. I am her servant no longer and as such, have left her city, Lolth Lorena. I can no longer return home, for if I do, I face a fate worse than death. And so, I chose to come to Xadia, the one place I have a chance at being safe from her and her followers."
Silence filled the room at this revelation. The high council of Katolis taken aback by this stunning confession. Callum and the guards joining in staring at the Elf in disbelief at such a claim.
A Drow, turning their back on Lolth? The spider queen and mother of evil. Ridiculous! No Drow in a hundred years had ever questioned the mighty queen or the matriarchy she had built. Let alone tried to escape it. For one so young to break over a century's tradition and try to flee from the Demon Queen, that was truly impossible, wasn't it?
Staring with eyes wide, Callum felt himself stir with admiration. Long had he dreamt about escaping Katolis castle, relieving himself from titles and freeing himself from the bonds of Princehood. Letting him travel the world and study magic as just plain Callum. With no fancy titles and other obligations to tie him down.
For Rayla, a girl who (looked) around his age, to do that and more was nothing short of amazing. He honestly had to respect her for having the guts to go against her goddess for a chance at a better life, one that she wanted. Something he would never be brave enough to do.
But with that said…
"So, what was your plan?" Callum asked cautiously, drawing all eyes in the room to him. "I mean, you said you were heading eastward, but what were you planning on doing once you found a spot to settle down. Or whatever you were going to do."
Rolling her eyes at him, Rayla turned (as best she could.) to face him, her face one of slight amusement.
"My plan, as you call it, was to go to the kingdom of Neolandia." She said with a hint of both annoyance and…a touch of teasingness? Her tone more playful than angry indicating that this question at least, she didn't take offense too. "I hear they're more accepting of people there regardless of their background. And with Katolis being here, I'd have a kingdom between me and anyone who would take offense to my decision to abandon my goddess. After that, I planned on finding a caravan and working as a guard or something. You know, something to keep myself out of the public eye and make money off my craft. And speaking of that,"
Turning back to the councilors, Rayla fixed them with an smart alecy look, her tone taking on a matching feel.
"Seeing as I, you know, helped save your prince's life, how about as a reward you let me go?" She said forcefully, leaning forward to glare at her captors. "Now, don't take this personally, but you guys are a bunch of assholes. So, how about you let me go, give me my stuff, and you never have to see me again. I don't like you, you don't like me, but I say we can still end this like reasonable adults and-."
"No."
Immediately Rayla froze, the rest of her argument dying on her lips as all heads turned towards Harrow, the king resting both hands on his throne as he gazed down on the Drow with a cold, emotionless expression, his eyes dead behind the brown pupils.
"Allowing a Drow to roam free is the equivalent of letting a Litch into the castle. Only a fool would agree to such a thing." He said in an emotionless tone that matched his eyes. "Your kind has no soul, no empathy. Allowing you to walk free would be a danger to my people, something I cannot allow. As such, you shall be dealt with now."
Raising a hand from the throne, the king waves to the guards standing behind the elf, signaling them forward as he made his proclamation.
"Rayla, escapee of Lolth Lorena, I hereby sentence you to death. Take her to the town square and cut her head from her shoulders. Then hang her body by the border to act as warning for anyone else who tries to sneak into my kingdom. Ensuring no one else tries this."
Eyes going wide, mouth falling open, Rayla immediately tried to sprung up, the woman fighting desperately as the guard seized her.
"What?! No!" She screamed, frantically struggling as the guards began to drag her from the room, the girl's fighting doing little to even slow them down. "Hey! That's not fair! I saved your son! You own me!"
"You did, and for that, you have my eternal gratitude." Harrow said in the same tone as before, not moving from his seat as he watched the elf being dragged from the room and towards her death. "But that act alone does not relieve you of your other crimes. Nor does it deprive you from suspicion. I cannot help but wonder what the odds are for a Drow just so happening to be in the area the night my son was attacked. Seems a little too convenient if you ask me."
Looking into Rayla's disbelieving eyes with his cold, stoic ones, Harrow calmly waved his hand, signaling the guards to take her away, something they did immediately causing the Elf to start kicking and screaming, frantically struggling to escape, fighting with every ounce of her strength to get away from her captors.
Seeing this, a horrible feeling took root in Callum's stomach. One that made him feel like someone had reached inside him and started moving his insides around. A feeling that only grew as he watched the Elf reach the door where more guards piled on top of her to help stop her failing.
This was wrong! She hadn't done anything! She was just trying to save someone in need and now she was being punished for it, just because she was born into a culture that was built on worship of a demon. She hadn't asked to be born into it, she couldn't control where her parents had chosen to live. And now, right at the very moment she had gotten her freedom, she was going to lose it because she wanted to be a good person.
Frown deepening, Callum's mouth spilt into a snarl, his hands balling into fists at his side. He knew how frustrating it was to have expectations placed on you by things outside of your control, how infuriating it was for people to tell you how you had to be for gifts you never wanted. And the feeling of wanting to just…run away from it all.
To have that chance, to have that freedom, only for it to be ripped away because of the past you wanted to escape from, that was just too cruel. It didn't-. Shouldn't matter where someone comes from or what their parents did. Everyone, regardless of upbringing should be given a chance to be who they wanted to be!
Taking a deep breath, Callum's feet moved before he even realized what he was doing, his mind only snapping back to reality as he had swung up towards the guards, his body placed between them and the counselors, or more specifically, Harrow.
"Release her at once!" He bellowed in a commanding voice he didn't even know he had. His order brought all the chaos in the room to a halt as they all turned to stare at him dumbfoundedly. Rayla included.
"Prince Callum! What do you think you're doing?!" Opeli demanded, her voice filled with shock and alarm. "The Elf is a threat! She cannot be allowed to leave these walls! Who knows what kind of chaos she'll-!"
"No."
Freezing mid sentence, Opeli raised her eyebrow at the young prince's response, her eyes narrowing as she let out a frustrated sigh.
"Prince Callum, I understand you feel indebted to her, but there's more going on than just what you feel." The older woman pressed firmly. "We don't know if she's lying. And if she is, she could be acting as a spy for the Drow of Loth Lorena, or worse some kind of saboteur. Allowing her to live is-."
"I said no!"
Whirling around to face the council, Callum took an aggressive step forward, shocking everyone as he glared up past the other two members straight at his step-father. The young man's eyes narrowed, his breath ragged, his frustration etched into his face as he spoke in the most disrespectful tone anyone in the room had ever heard the normally mild mannered Prince use.
"What reason do you think she's a spy?! What evidence do you have to back your claim?! Yes, we've been at war with the Drow and the Underdark for as long as anyone can remember, but in the same breath, they've been at war with us for just as long!" He roared, angrily swiping his arm through the air. "You keep saying how evil and vile everything is down there, but how can you sit there and say that everyone and everything falls under that category! She saved my life! Why would she risk capture or discovery if she was here to sabotage us?!"
Spit flying from Callum's mouth, the young prince watched the two stunned council members stare shocked at him for a few seconds before they recovered, each one taking a different expression, one of frustration, the other of anger.
"I already told you yesterday morning to watch your tone, Prince Callum." Viren snarled, his face being the one of the latter. "You may hold the title of Prince, but that doesn't make you above the rules we all are to hold when before the king. I suggest you think very carefully about your next words before you say something that will land you a charge of treason! Remember your pla-!"
Suddenly, Viren broke off as movement to his side caught his eyes turning his head, he saw Harrow raise his hand, signaling the Arch Mage to be silent, an order he followed immediately, bowing his head and stepping to the side, allowing the king to speak.
Looking down at his step-son, Harrow didn't raise, nor did his eyes portray any softness. No, looking down at the skinny prince was not the awkward step-father trying to make up for past wrongs, it was mighty king of Katolis, the king who stood guard over the passage to the Underdark, the king who had once conquered the mighty Tarrasque, slayed his corrupted uncle, and held the all manner of monstrously back from other lands. And even with his single missing arm, his presence still felt crushing to the young prince.
"So, you think you know better than I on how to handle this matter? Then tell me, oh wise Sorcerer, what would you have me do?"
Bristling at the challenging words of his step-father, Callum swallowed hard to keep his voice level, his eyes remaining fixed on Harrow, still alight with his stubborn determination.
"Let her go. She hasn't done anything wrong." The young Prince pushed, his balled up hands shaking with frustration. "She saved my life, let her live as her reward. That is more than the least you could do."
"And if she's a spy, an assassin, and turncoat? What then? What happens if we should wake up one day to find a knife at our throat?" The king counter, his dark eyes fixed and unwavering as he looked down at Callum. His hands relaxed, voice level, as if dealing with a petulant little kid. Something that angered the Prince even further.
Biting his lip to keep himself from screaming in frustration, Callum took a step forward, placing one foot on the steps leading up to the king's throne, the guards exchanging a look, unsure of how to respond to the situation.
"If so, then I will take full responsibility for her actions."
Raising his eyebrow at this, now it was Harrow's turn to take action, leaning forward in his seat to address the young man before him, his eyes becoming slits as he looked down at the boy who dared to challenge him.
"And what good will come of that when our villages burn?" He asked, his voice taking on a more aggressive tone. "What good will come of it when our crops are stolen, our livestock savages! Tell me, Prince Callum, what good will come of your responsibility when our rivers are poisoned, our child killed in their beds, our brothers and sister raped and our military toppled?! When our kingdom falls, our borders breached, our citizens slain and our centuries of detestation come crumbling down? When your head is stuck on a pike above some unfathomable place in the Underdark next to your brother's and mine, tell me what good will your responsibility be then!?"
Throwing himself back into his seat, Harrow didn't even wait for a reply before waving his hand, as if he were brushing Callum away like he was some annoying insect.
"Allowing a known enemy out of my sight is a fool's gamble." He said, his voice suddenly taking on a tired, more gentle tone, the king reaching up to rest his head in his hand. "You don't know the worshipers of Lolth like I do. Haven't seen the things they've done with less. So I'm sorry, Callum. But I cannot place the lives and stability on the line to ease your conscience. Just take her away and let's be done with this."
Waving his hand at the guard, Callum felt his breath hitch in his throat, the final word of his king being absolute, the man as good as signing the Elf's death sentence with that simple wave.
Panicked, Callum's brain immediately went into overdrive, the young man looking desperately around the room for some way or loophole he could use to save the Elf's life. Until they landed on Viren and immediately, Callum got an idea.
"Then don't let her out of your sight!" The Prince practically yelled, eyes still fixed on the king. "You want to keep a watch on her to ensure she doesn't do anything? Then do it! Assign her as my bodyguard!"
Immediately the whole room froze, everyone stopping what they were doing to stare wide eyed at the Prince, expressions of shock and disbelief upon every single person's face as they looked dumbfoundedly at Callum with different levels of bewilderment.
The guards, who were in the process of dragging Rayla out, froze mouths hanging open as they stared at Callum, their complete disbelief leaving them stunned in the position they had been in when he had spoke, giving the Elf a perfect chance to try and escape if she too wasn't staring mouth agape at Callum and his suggestion.
As for the ones on the stares, Opeli had gone slack jawed, her mouth hanging open one hand pressed over, her eyes wide and body ridged, the woman in complete shock at what the prince had just said.
Viren had a similar expression, with wide eyes and mouth open, his arms dropping limply to his sides as he lost all motor functions in his body, his staff slipping from his fingers and falling to the floor, the expression object rolling down the stairs before coming to a complete stop at Callum's feet, the Arch Mage not even noticing that as he stared at the Prince.
And lastly, Harrow, for the first time since entering the room, had his stoic mask shattered as he stared down at his step-son, his eyes bulging out of his head as he looked down at Callum, his gaze darting to either side of the boy as if he expected Ezren to pop out of some hidden room and yell "kidding!" or something of that manner.
However, Callum was not joking. And seeing how everyone in the room was too stunned to interrupt him, the young prince used it as the perfect opportunity to push his idea before the counselors.
"Look, as recently as yesterday, all of you said I need a bodyguard. And after tonight's excursion, I see you are right, I do need one. So why not appoint the one who always has shown she can do the job? After all, she jumped in to save me when I was a complete stranger. Can you imagine the job she'd do if she was being paid and given honors to do so?"
Slowly snapping out of his dazed state, Harrow reached up and rubbed his forehead, the king letting out a tired sigh, his tone clearly indicating he wasn't even considering the suggestion.
"Callum-." He began, only to be interrupted by said boy who, acting like the king hadn't just tried to speak, pressed on with his sales pitch.
"And besides, you said the most likely person to come and try to kill me is a Drow, right? So can you think of a better person to deal with a blood sucking assassin than someone who knows their ways? Think about it! She's literally the best person to watch my back for what I need! And that way, you can keep her close, make sure she can't stab us in the back and-!"
"Callum, no." Harrow cut in, now rubbing his temple as if a headache was coming on. "I'm not assigning you a bodyguard who's one of…them. Placing her with you is like placing a rat next to cheese. It will bite at some point and when it does, it won't stop until it's eaten the whole block. She can't be trusted!"
"If she wanted to kill me, why save me?!" Callum shot back without hesitation. "She had the perfect opportunity to off me and get away! No witnesses, a clear escape plan, and nobody would ever even know she was there? Everyone keeps saying how clever Drow are, but if she was trying to hurt me, why would anyone with that goal pass up an opportunity like that!"
"I don't know." Letting out a groan of annoyances, Harrow threw his hands up in exasperation, his frustration finally pushing to the surface. "I don't know why a Drow wouldn't kill you right there and then. But that doesn't change the fact she's dangerous! And I will not allow a threat like her anywhere near my so-!"
"Give me one good reason why she can't be my guard! Give me one!" Callum, not getting fed up himself, threw his hands behind him, gesturing to Rayla in a single frustrated movement. "Yes, she's a Drow. But we already know she's a good Drow. And as proven tonight not all Dragonborn are noble and loyal like the stereotype portrays. So if a Dragonborn can become a corrupted form of evil, why can't a Drow be good? Just look at her! Does that girl, who you just sentenced to death, show any form of violence towards any of us before you unfairly condemn her for a deed she should have been rewarded for! She saved royalty! Or do I not count because I'm not really your son?!"
Immediately Harrow's eyes widened, his mouth opening as he let out a soft gasp, his eyes quickly angering before the rage died out, replaced with an tired, almost defeated look. His head and shoulders sagging as he took a shaky breath, the man forming his words as he fought to keep his emotions out of it.
"Enough." He murmured softly, his gaze remaining on Callum. "Just, enough. We are done talking about this. The Drow is to be executed, end of story. Get her out of here NOW and have the royal courtyard prepare a burial sight for her a little ways outside the city as a reward for what she did for my son. That is my final decision. So if anyone besides the young Prince or the accused has any objections, voice them now."
Immediately, Callum felt his heart drop, a cold feeling smothering his anger and leaving him with a freezing sense of helplessness. Was this really it? The Elf who had saved his life was just going to be killed for who she was? That was wrong. All she had wanted was her freedom, and in the act of saving his life, she had unknowingly sacrificed her own.
She hadn't even gotten a taste of the freedom she desired. Losing the ability to go where she wished and just be herself, away from the restrictions placed on her by her society all because she wanted to help someone in need. She didn't even know them, just that they needed help and she could offer some assistance. And now, because of that kindness, she was going to lay the ultimate price.
Balling his hands into fists, Callum lowered his head as he fought back tears. This was just..so messed up. How could anyone, let alone a king of all people, just give the order to kill someone who hadn't done anything wrong. Sure, he had heard stories of the high priest of Lolth Lorena and her cunning mind, but to use that as an excuse to just end the life of someone who had fled? That was too much.
As sadness took root inside Callum's stomach, the young prince's eyes flicked back up to the throne, his hands so tight he could feel his nails bite into his palms as his eyes once again came to rest on that same stub. The thing taunting him with his own helplessness, mocking him as it practically scream gloatingly about the loss of his mother and now the Elf, asking him what he was gonna do when all he ever was, and ever would be, was nothing but a helpless little thing who couldn't save anyone.
And as the stub taunted and teased the young prince, Callum found his anger towards his step-father become solidified as he glared up at the man, a brief, flirting thought passing through his mind, one that carried all his old frustration and resentment, and now his new anger and rage. One that, if ever breathed aloud, would be cause to send him to his mother.
Yet despite that, he put up no resistance to it, letting the single thought take hold of his mind and in one fleeting second, nearly escape his mouth.
"I hope you-."
"My lord, wait a moment."
Head jerking up, now it was Callum's turn to stare in wide eyed disbelief at the speaker, his mind coming to a screeching halt as never in a million years would he had thought he would speak up on behalf of a Drow.
"Perhaps we are acting a bit too hastily, Harrow." Viren said, picking up his staff and returning towards the king. "I understand what you're saying and believe me, I feel the same way. But perhaps Prince Callum is onto something. We could learn a great deal about Lolth Lorena and their warriors from the girl. Information we could use in the battles ahead."
"I will not torture prisoners, Viren." Harrow said sharply, turning to his Arch Mage, eyes sharp and reprimanding. "Torture is neither an effective way of getting information nor is it something I endorse within my kingdom's walls. Such brutish acts will not be tolerated in my presence, do you understand me? Why would you even suggest such a thing in-?"
"Your highness, you miss understand!" Vrien said quickly, raising his hands. "I didn't mean torture her, I meant get them information out of her with our own eyes. See what a Drow warrior can really do. After all, we are being afforded a rare opportunity here, it would be foolish of us not to take full advantage of it."
Raising his eyebrow at his old friend, Harrow's face twitched as a sign of irritation. Something both men and Callum knew meant the normally patient king was reaching his limit. His strained voice made it clear to everyone else as well.
"Surely you don't mean-"
"Yes, put her in the tournament." Viren said. "Let the soldiers get real training against a real Drow with real Drow weapons. It will be an experience of a lifetime for such young knights, an opportunity to ensure when they inevitably face another in the future, they will have some kind of experience with the monsters from the deep."
Shooting Rayla a glance through narrowed eyes, the two young adults saw him look her up and down, as if he was deep in thought about something, though neither really knew what.
However, before they could try to read his expression, he looked away, turning back to Harrow, face returning to normal.
"Should she lose, then she will be put to death. But if by some miracle she does manage to pull through, I say we let her live, keep her around the castle to learn as much as we can from her training and fighting style. She won't become Callum's guard, naturally. But this way she'll at least be given a fighting chance. As well as giving the young Prince some peace of mind about his savior."
The last word was said with an unmistakable amount of distain that was amplified by a patronizing wave of his hand. His words and challenge doing little to ease the consciousness of either the Prince or Drow.
Harrow on the other hand seemed to be considering it, the king rubbing his beard thoughtfully, looking from his advisers to his step-son, then the Elf, his eyes unreadable before he closed them, letting out a sigh as he slumped into his chair.
"Very well. I shall allow it." He finally said, though not without an air of exasperation. "The Elf shall be given a chance to prove she has something of value to offer the kingdom. And should she fail, she shall be put to death. Does that sound agreeable to you?"
Looking down at Rayla and Callum, Harrow's eyes bore into their heads, making the young Prince flinch, his resolve faltering for the first time since entering the throne room that day. His mouth spitting out an obedient, "yes sir!" before he was even aware of it.
The Elf on the other hand, simply rolled her eyes as she stood up straight, the guards finally backing off.
"Well gee, let me think." She said sarcastically. "My opinions are either definitely die, or probably die. I mean, that's a pretty tough decision that I definitely have a say in."
The snark in her voice made Callum let out another snort despite the situation, his hand flying to cover his mouth as he turned away, trying not to show his reaction to either his step-father or the Elf. Though out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Rayla shoot a playful smile his way.
"You can chose to die without exposing your people's culture." Harrow said eyebrow twitching, clearly not amused by the sass from the girl. "I know I would rather die than betray my kingdom, but I suppose loyalty is a lost concept to you Drow, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Take her to the Eastern tower." Turning his attention to the guards, the King barked an order that made them jump, their arms flying to their sides in a salute as he issued his orders. "She is to be kept there under constant guard and in a brightly lit room at all times. Under no circumstances is she to be allowed to leave. Have all her meals brought to her and I want two full Crown Guards teams positioned outside her room at all times. If there's any sign of treachery, she is to be killed at once, no question asked! Is that clear?"
"Yes sir!" The guard replied, allowing the king to wave his hand, signaling the audience was over, the guards opening the doors and gesturing for Rayla to follow.
Giving the king and his council one last, awkward bow, Rayla turned and walked out with the guards, letting them fall in line around her where two of them seized her arms, ensuring she couldn't get away from them even though her hands were still bound.
As they disappeared down the corridor, Callum quickly made to follow, his hurried footsteps reaching the door of the throne room before a voice brought him to a stop.
"Callum, wait."
Freezing for a second at the King's call. The young Prince turned to look over at his stepfather who was looking down at him, his face sagging and tired as he rose slightly in his seat, his hand outstretched towards him.
"A word, if you will."
Callum knew this was no request, but at this moment in time, he really didn't care. After the trying conversation they had just had, the sorcerer was done putting up with his stepfather.
And so, not caring if he got punished later, Callum stormed out of the throne room and headed after the Elf, not so much as looking at Harrow as he left. Leaving the king staring after him, a tired, defeated look in his eyes as he finally let himself sag in his seat.
Rounding a corner, Callum saw one of the guards escorting Rayla, gesturing her towards the hallway that led to the Eastern tower, instructing "this way." causing her to roll her eyes.
Jogging up behind them, he was just in time to hear the Elf say. "Yeah, got it. No need for the baby steps. Believe it or not, most Drow do understand common. Ya don't need to-. Oh!"
Breaking off as she saw Callum approaching, the Elf's eyes lightened up as he came to a stop behind her, her mouth twisting into a playful smile as he came to a stop beside her.
"Why, hello, oh magnanimous prince." She said playfully, giving him the most sweeping bow she could with her hands tied, head lowered all the way down to her knees. "To what do I owe the pleasure, my most gracious lord? Looking for a thank you for the life you so generously saved?"
Turning red at the gesture, Callum immediately raised his hands, waving them in front of his face as he spoke rapidly and loudly.
"No! You don't need to do that!" He practically yelled, the young man mentally face palming at his own social inadequacies. "You don't have to do that. In fact, I kinda wanted to be the one to do that. I mean-! I wanted to give you my thanks for saving me tonight, in the woods, where we first met."
This time, Callum physically face palmed. Blushing all the way up to his ears in embarrassment at the awkwardness of that sentence. Seriously? Could he have said that any worse? Where was the confident way with words he had back when he was addressing Harrow? At least then he could have held a bit of a bad boy demeanor instead of a socially inept sorcerer!
Any sense of self pride the prince had managed to maintain after that humiliating performance was lost after a couple seconds of silence, then the sound of giggling. His face somehow burned even hotter as he buried it in both hands, wanting nothing more than to disappear off the face of the earth to save himself from the humiliation.
However, what happened next caught him off guard.
"Okay awkward prince. Thanks accepted." Rayla said in a light, easy tone. "Ya can raise ya head now, I'm not gonna bite. And not just cause I'll die if I try."
Surprised, Callum slowly raised his head, eyes staring wide at the Elf who just stood there smirking.
"You're…not mad at me?" He asked tentatively, earning him a confused look from Rayla as she raised an eyebrow at the prince.
"Why would I be angry at you?" She asked, cocking her head to one side. "Ya wasn't the one who attacked some innocent travelers in the forest. Ya stood up for me when that batsh-. When the king tried to kill me. What in Lolth's name would I be angry at you for?"
"Well…" Rubbing the back of his head as he turned to the floor, the prince swallowed hard as he couldn't find the strength to look the girl in the eyes. "I mean, it's kinda my fault you're a prisoner. If you hadn't helped, you probably could've gotten close to the border undetected. You could have left me to my fate and avoided being put in…this position." Waving his hands at the Elf, Callum earned himself another roll of the eyes, Rayla letting out a huff as she cocked her weight to one side.
"Yeah, I could of." She said with a shrug. "But then you probably would have been killed. We might come from different cultures and backgrounds, but that doesn't mean I can just turn a blind eye to those in need. Besides, I choose to get into someone else's business, I knew there might be consequences for my actions, I'm ready to bear that responsibility."
Swallowing hard, Callum found Rayla's words did little to ease his conscience. Gilt still eating away at him from the inside, making him squirm uncontrollably.
"Even so, I can't help but feel responsible for this." He said, eyes flicking to the ropes that still bound the Elf. "If there's anything I can do to make your stay more comfortable, please, let me know."
Staring at him blankly for a couple seconds, Rayla opened her mouth only to be cut off by one of the guards, jerking her arm towards the stairs.
"Hey. Let's go." He said firmly, pulling her towards the steps. "Stop dilly dallying. We got to get you locked up."
"Alright, alright! I'm coming. Geez." Rayla said angrily, pulling away from him, but still letting him hold her arm as she turned to Callum. "Well, seeing as I have an important date with your tower holding cell, how about we talk on the way? Not sure how comfortable you can make things for a prisoner who's about to go into a gladiatorial arena to face trial by combat, but I'm sure I'll think of something. So in the meantime, why don't you escort me to my torture dungeon? Gods knew these fellas might try to get handsy on a helpless bound little girl like me."
"They would never do that!" Callum quickly reassured her. "The Crown Guard are the elite of the elite. They go through rigorous training and ethics procedures to ensure they uphold the dignity of the royal family. Anyone who has such inhumane behavior would never-!"
Callum broke off as he saw Rayla struggling not to laugh, his face heating up as he realized she had been messing with him. The blush spreading up to his ears.
"Okay, whatever you say." She said teasingly as Callum folded his arms and pouted. "In that case, I'll entrust my purity to these knights you vouch for so strongly. Just hearing you defend their honor is good enough for me."
With that, the party continued on their way, ascending the steps that led to the Eastern tower, the guards and the Elf in the front, Callum following behind, still sulking.
"So, pouty prince. Can I ask you a question?" Rayla called over her shoulder, making Callum perk up at the curious tone in her voice. "Why am I being held in a tower? Surely having me kept in the dungeon would be easier. I mean, I don't imagine you guys keep this ready on the off chance an enemy princess falls into your lap. So why not just throw me in the dungeon along with all the drunks and murderers you must keep down there."
"Oh, that's because this tower was built to hold VIP prisoners or untrustworthy guests." Callum answered quickly, picking up his pace so he could walk right behind the guards holding the Elf. "See, sometimes we get visitors from non-aligned kingdoms or back in olden times, capture a lord or something to use as ransom. And seeing as we didn't trust them to be down with our more dangerous criminals, they were kept here so we could keep an eye on them and keep them safe. And you know, there hasn't been any wars in Xadia for centuries, so it sometimes serves as a place people who know about it can slip to to get away from everything."
By some people, Callum actually meant himself, but he chose not to mention that. He didn't want to creep Rayla out or make her feel any more uncomfortable than Harrow already did. Being captured by a hostile enemy couldn't have been easy for the Elf.
But regardless of that fact, Rayla didn't show any signs of discomfort. In fact, she looked at some of the pictures on the wall as they passed with mild interest.
"Huh. In that case I'll consider it an honor you value me enough to lock me up here. Well, as much of an honor a prisoner can have. Which isn't saying that much I suppose." She said, her eyes gazing at a picture of one of the old kings slaying a great, red dragon. The noble's sword being plunged into the top of its head.
Falling into an awkward silence, the party continued up the stairs until they finally reached the top. There, one of the guards pulled a key off his belt and stuck it in lock, turning it before opening the door before stepping aside revealing a large, sparsely decorated room with no windows. A simple bed and table were sitting in opposite corners of the room and a bookshelf pressed up against the far wall next to a wardrobe, giving it a less than comfy vibe.
"Get in. Don't resist." One of them said as he roughly shoved Rayla in, before directing her to the far wall, pushing her against with the help of another as a third began untying her wrists.
"Oh yeah, because I've been so uncooperative up until this point." Rayla said sarcastically, but didn't put up a fight as the ropes slid off her skin, the guards releasing her and taking a step back, letting the girl turn around, rubbing her raw wrists. "Yeah, you guys really roll out the red carpet of others, don't ya?"
Ignoring her snarky remarks, the guard turned and left, each one filling out of the room leaving only the head guard and Callum with her, the latter of the two awkwardly rubbing the back of his head as he stared at the door frame.
"Yeah. Sorry, again." Callum said awkwardly, not really knowing what to say. Swallowing hard before turning toward the door. "Okay, welp, I'm gonna leave you here. If you need anything, let the guards know when they bring you your meals and I guess I will see you later."
In one last attempt to lighten the mood, Callum turned around and shot her double fingers guns while winking before immediately realizing how stupid he must look and quickly turning away.
"Right. Umm. See you later!" He said, feeling like he was about to die on the spot from embarrassment. "Umm. Yeah. Have a goodnight!"
Quickly making his way to the door, he was just about to step through when he heard a voice that made him freeze, his heart leaping into his throat.
"Callum."
Turning slowly, said sorcerer saw Rayla standing in the middle of the room, her arms down in close to her body, her ears dropping as her face turned somber.
"Callum I-." Breaking off here, Rayla turned her gaze to the ground, her eyes no longer able to hold his gaze as she spoke in a completely different tone than before, now taking on a more subtle, withdrawn tone. Her body seemed to curl in on itself. "Thank you for standing up for me. I mean it."
Eyes going wide, Callum saw a slight shake in her arms as her hands tightened into fists, the Elf still unable to look him in the eyes but her message incredibly clear, the fear she had been repressing finally bobbling to the surface.
Nodding in understanding, Callum took a half towards her to offer her some comfort before thinking better of it, opting instead for a reassuring smile. "Please, it was the least I could do." He said, giving her a slight bow. "Remember, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. I will do everything in my power to get it for you. I promise everything will be alright."
Callum knew his promise was empty, that at the end of the day, he was powerless to do anything to repay the debt he owed her. But when she looked up and he saw a flicker of hope in her eyes, he knew he would find a way to make good on his words.
"Yeah. It'll all be fine." Rayla said, more to herself than him before she looked up, forcing a smile at the prince. "Yeah. Thanks Callum. I guess I'll see you around?"
"You bet." Callum replied before walking out of the room, coming to a stop next to the guard as he began closing the door, giving the prince one last chance to wave at the Elf before she vanished from his sight.
"Goodnight, Rayla." He said, watching her raise her hand to return the gesture. Unfortunately, before she could, the heavy wooden door slammed shut, the guard jamming the key into the lock, sealing it shut before he turned his back on it, leaning against the wood frame, staring passed the prince leaving him to lower his arm, eyes still glued to the door.
"Goodnight, Callum." He murmured softly to himself. Then let out a sigh before turning his back to the wood barrier and making his way down the steps, returning to his room where he collapsed onto his bed, closing his eyes and trying not to think about the Elf Rayla.