Forgotten Memories ||The Dragon Prince||

Chapter 5: Sunny Afternoons

[Callum]

"I'm not quite sure what just happened," Callum said as he looked around the familiar courtyard of Katolis Castle, feeling very confused.

"Is this the future?" Rayla asked.

"I don't know," Callum replied as he tried to think what to do next.

If it really was the future then where should he and Rayla go to find answers? However, Adalena had said that they had to go through the past. So was this even in the future? Callum let out a frustrated sigh and started pacing back and forth, deep in thought. Callum was so deep in thought he only vaguely noticed the entrance of a little boy from the castle.

"Callum," Rayla said astonished, "It's you!"

"What?" Callum said as he was pulled from his thoughts.

"That little boy... it's you!"

"Are you sure?" Callum said, examining the little boy more closely, and, sure enough, the little boy was a younger Callum, "So this is the past then, and it doesn't look like he noticed we're here. So we really are like ghosts!"

"You were so cute Callum!" Rayla cried out of nowhere, watching the younger Callum run around playing.

"Were?" Callum said.

"Oh don't worry, you grew up to be very handsome," Rayla said with a wink.

Callum felt his face flush, and clearing his throat, he changed the subject, "So if this is a memory then how come I don't remember it?"

"Don't ask me, it's your memory. But maybe you forgot it for a reason," Rayla said, "It's either a forgotten memory because it was too mundane or too painful to remember."

"Well I played in this courtyard all the time growing up," Callum said, watching his younger self start drawing in the dirt, "So I'm guessing I don't remember because it was too mundane."

"In that case, do we just wait it out?"

"I think so," Callum said, sitting down on the grass, and Rayla sat down next to him. Callum took her hand and the two sat in silence watching Callum's younger self play.

"Callum?" Rayla asked breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you playing by yourself?" Rayla asked and he could hear the hint of concern in her voice, "Were there not other children to play with?"

"Well... I was kind of a loner," Callum said, watching his younger self with sad eyes, "I tried to make friends, but I was the prince... well, the step-prince... and I think that made the other kids uncomfortable around me. I just never really fit in. I couldn't do what most people expected a royal to do."

Callum looked down and felt a pang of sadness. He had never felt like he truly belonged here at Katolis Castle. He was the odd one out, the unneeded prince, the unwanted boy.

"I'm sorry Callum," Rayla said, giving his hand a squeeze, "But you'll always have me. I think you're wonderful and there is no one I'd rather be with. And who needs to be princely anyways? You're an amazing mage and those people were just jerks."

"Thanks, Rayla," Callum said, "I'm so lucky to have you-"

Before Callum could finish the door to the castle sprung open revealing... his mom. Both Callum and his younger self jumped up and ran towards her. But Rayla grabbed Callum's elbow preventing him from continuing while his past self ran into his mother's arms.

"Rayla let me go!" Callum cried.

"Callum, she's not really here," Rayla said quietly.

"But I miss her so much!" Callum said tears springing to his eyes, "And she's right there!"

"I know you miss her but it's just a memory," Rayla said, "But look, Callum, you can see how much she loves you."

Callum looked at his younger self playing with his mom and Rayla was right, he could see how much his mother loved him. A peaceful feeling settled over him.

"Okay," Callum said sitting back down.

"She seems like a wonderful mother," Rayla added.

"She was," Callum said, smiling, "I wish you could've met her."

"I'm meeting her right now... well, kind of."

"Yeah, I guess you are... kind of," Callum said with a smile as he continued to watch the memory unfold.

It was just a regular sunny afternoon that Callum had spent with his mom, but as he relived the memory Callum could see just how much his mother loved him. And while that made him miss her terribly, he felt comforted by the reminder that she would always love him. That she had always been there for him.

"Do you think we'll have to pass through a lot of these forgotten memories before we get to the future?" Rayla asked, breaking the silence.

"I hope not too many," Callum said with a sigh as he watched his younger self and his mom go back inside the castle.

"Now what?" Rayla asked just as another portal appeared.

"I think we keep going," Callum said standing up and gazing at the portal with it's swirling night sky and gleaming galaxies.

"Sounds good to me," Rayla said

"That wasn't so bad," Callum said, offering his hand to Rayla, "It was quite nice to remember that fun afternoon I had with my mom."

"I'm glad Callum," Rayla said taking his hand, "I just hope we don't have to go through any of my memories."

"Why not?"

"There's just a lot of things I don't want to remember."

"I get that," Callum said with a sigh, "But we can take on anything. Together."

"Together," Rayla repeated, then smirking started running towards the portal, "In that case... let's go!"

Callum smiled, letting himself be dragged by Rayla. Then as the two entered the portal Callum was once again engulfed by a bright light. On the other side, Callum opened eyes to find him and Rayla standing in Silvergrove, Rayla's home.

"Uh...Rayla?" Callum asked, noticing that Rayla was still rubbing her eyes trying to adjust to the lighting, "I think we're in Silvergrove."

"You've got to be kidding!" Rayla cried out next to him as she saw that his words were true, "The universe just loves proving me wrong, doesn't it!"