Callum and Rayla didn't say a word, they just sat there trying to wrap their heads around the situation at hand. The Vet set up a clean stall in the barn for them, since Ellis couldn't take them home, much to Callum's and Rayla's disappointment, and the Vet couldn't bring them to his home due to running the risk of his family finding them. But the Vet gave them his word that he would not speak anything of his guest.
It was late, all the lights were out in the town as the nocturnal animals were just rising. Callum heard the hoot of an owl, catching his attention and bringing him out of his thoughts, thoughts that were all over the place yet. Callum looked over at Rayla as she is laying down in silence, looking at her stomach with a soft smile watching her hand rub circles around her belly button.
The sight made Callum's heart flutter with warmth and love. "We need to keep moving, maybe we could reach Katolis before the baby is born." Callum said softly breaking the silence. The young mage laid down next to his lover and put his hand gently over her stomach as if one touch could hurt the baby. Rayla stayed quiet for a few moments coming up with what she would say, but still continued to rub her belly. "Hmm, yes I agree, but what about my father, Chichi, and Zane? And the path we took before could get us back in time but it's a very hard and harsh trail, I don't know if the baby will allow me to make that trek. Especially since she has such a rapid growth, I want to be careful with her, what you said before about me being more careful, you were right I have to start thinking more of the baby rather than my dignity and pride." Rayla replied, now looking at Callum.
"I was just thinking about that actually, and maybe we could ask Ellis to tag along, Ava could help you when you find it hard to continue and need a rest. As for the others, we could have them meet us there, I can send a message to Sultan telling him how to get there and everything." Callum explained. "And how are you going to send a message?" Rayla countered back.
Callum paused for a moment thinking about the plan for a minute before it hit him. "There are messenger birds in the city, I can use them to send the message, maybe the Vet has one or two." Callum said proud that he thought up this 'brilliant' plan.
"I suppose it could work, not bad for a big dumb human." Rayla teased as she snuggled closer to Callum their faces now inches apart. Both had one emotion in their eyes, love, they leaned in and pressed their lips together softly and slowly, wanting to enjoy this moment alone. When they finally broke apart they opened their eyes, and communicated through their eyes rather than words. Placing their heads so that their foreheads were touching, the young teen aged couple began to drift off to sleep.
But Rayla was fully awoken to the baby kicking her tummy, Rayla slowly sitting up and giggled at her little troublemaker. "Heh, you are not one to settle down very easily are you?" she said to her child within her womb. She look to her left Callum begin to stir awake due to the absence of her body next to his.
"The baby is kicking up a storm in there, heh, when she gets here I think we may have trouble putting her to bed." Rayla said to a now awake Callum looking up at her. "You know I remember my mom once told me that she used to sing to me when I was still in her belly, to make me stop kicking, and let her sleep. Maybe you should try it." Callum suggested.
"Really? My mother used to sing to me all the time, even after I was born. She always had this warm and soft voice, reassuring me that I was always safe in her arms." Rayla said as she lifting her head to look out the skylight and up at the stars, her eyes fixed on a distant memory. "Do you remember any of them?" Callum asked sitting up.
"Yes, all of them, but my favorite one was when she sang the lullaby 'All is Found'" Rayla said looking back down to Callum. Callum's face went from calm to surprised in an instant, Rayla noticing this then asked "What? What's wrong?". "Oh, nothing, it's just that's the song my mom used to sing to me, crazy coincidence huh?" Callum said slightly nudging Rayla.
"I suppose so." she replied to the human mage, before deciding to try and calm her baby the way her mother did for her.
"Where the Northwind, meets the sea."
"There's a River full of memory."
"Sleep my darling, safe and sound, for in this river all is found..."
As Rayla continued to sing to her belly, Callum looked on in warmth and love and silence. Enjoying the sweet sound of Rayla's voice fill the cool night air. He had not known Rayla could have such a voice when she sang, one filled with the sweetest honey and could melt the darkest mans heart.
Callum closed his eyes and listened to the lyrics of the song bringing him back to when his mother would be tucking him in. To Callum it felt like yesterday, but really it was 12 years ago a few months before her death.
"And in her song all magic flows"
"But can you brave what you must fear?"
"Can you face what the river knows?"
----
"Where the Northwind meets the sea"
"There's a mother full of memory"
"Come my darling Homeward bound."
"When all is lost, then all is found."
Sarai finished to now a drowsy 4 year old Callum, who cuddled against her body as a pillow of comfort. Sarai smiled down at her son, and laid a kiss upon his forehead, she then motioned to get up from his bed but was stopped by a tiny hand grasping hers.
"Wait, I'm not athleep yet." Callum called out with a lisp. Sarai turned and gave her son a reassuring smile and sat down onto his bed. "Well then, tell me what I can do to fix that?" Sarai asked softly to her sensitive child. Callum waited for a minute or two to think about what to ask. "What happened to my firtht daddy?" he asked hesitantly. This question shocked Sarai, as sadness over came her to think about her former lover.
"Um well, he uh, he uh..... he has passed over into the afterlife, he protected us and by doing that he paid his life in exchange for ours." Sarai said bringing eye contact to her four year old. "What wath he like?" he said tilting his head to add an extra set of cuteness. Sarai's eyes grew wide at her sons sudden interest in his birth father. But she figured he had the right to know, and she couldn't keep it from him forever. "Your father, he was.... well he was very charming, he was definitely a trouble maker." Sarai giggled at a memory she and him shared. Making Callum giggle from the thought of his birth father getting into funny situations.
"But he was also mysterious, when I first met him. He was smart, cunning, and very protective." she continued. "What did you like motht about him?" Callum asked becoming more and more intrigue. "Hmm, that's a hard one, but I would have to say his kindness. He didn't show it a whole lot to others, or when we first met. It was there though and he had such a kind and caring heart, but he was hurt so many times that he closed it off to everyone, well until I came along. We had these nicknames for each other, he would call me his 'one in a million' and I would call him my 'midnight star'." Sarai said softly.
"Eww love ith tho groth." Callum interrupted Sarai in her thoughts. "Heh, I'm sure you'll understand some day, when you find your one true love." Sarai said as she re-tucked Callum back into bed and saying goodnight.
---
Callum jumped a little when Rayla's hand softly touched his cheek, and wiped away the tears slowly falling down his face. "Are you okay?" Rayla asked worry plastered on her face. Callum looked into her violet eyes for a long moment, before set his hand over hers that was on his cheek to keep it there. Callum slowly nodded in response, "Just thinking about my mother and how she would sing to me is all." he replied.
"Oh sorry I didn't mean to-", "No it's completely fine, it's not your fault so don't apologize, it's my fault for thinking about her, heh, oh you would have loved her. And she would have loved you too." Callum said changing the subject a little.
"Really? Even if I am an elf?" Rayla asked surprised, as she snuggled further into Callum, allowing him to place his head against hers. "Oh yeah, my mother was the sweetest woman alive, I remember this one time she told me that she took a kick to the chest by a baby deer trying to free it from a trap." Callum said happiness in his voice to be talking about his mother.
---
Back in Katolis inside of a very strange mirror...
Aaravos sat in his chair, his hand resting against his forehead, as he looked back up at a memory he conjured up. A memory of him with Sarai and their son, Aaravos had a little baby on his shoulders as he tugged and pulled at his long white hair. The sight of this made Aaravos smile with warmth.
Aaravos then got up and made the memory fade as he looked at the mirror on his side and said to himself "It was completely worth it being imprisoned here, I just wish I could see you again Sarai, and watch our little Callum grow up." Aaravos said with complete and utter sadness in his voice as he let a stray tear fall from his face, thinking about how utterly sad and depressing his life is now with out his family to comfort him.
(Yay!! A chapter out so soon!? What's happening? Heh, anyway this is your guy's holiday present! I thought it would be cute to give little Callum a lisp, and poor Aaravos. Don't worry his time will come, as will Ezran's time. I hope you like the Frozen 2 lullaby I put in there. Until then see ya later!!)