Manus Pluma Volantis

7 - Askerius

As the sun rose on the horizon, Rayla was already up and running. She was out on the porch, not really sure what else to do. In the span of one night, she trained, sharpened her blades, organized her side of the bedroom, and all without causing Callum to stir! Either he was a really heavy sleeper, or Rayla was just that quiet. Callum began to open his eyes and immediately realized Rayla was not beside him.

He sat up in alarm. He glanced in each room and finally found her on the porch. She had fallen asleep. He sighed in relief. At least she was okay. He would have to talk to her about doing that. She scared him. He sat on the other porch chair. It was a cold, misty morning, but it was pretty. Frost clung to every wood beam that held up the houses. A thick fog covered the landscape.

Rayla began to stir. Opening her eyes, she quickly noticed this was not her bedroom. Blinking and gathering her bearings, she stood up. Inside, Callum was whistling in the kitchen. She saw him cooking eggs and pancakes while drumming with his fingers. Goofball. She noticed two glasses of some maroon liquid. Where the hell did he get moonberry juice?

"Oh, hi!" Callum turned around. He greeted her with the sweetest smile. He offered her a glass of moonberry juice and a plate of pancakes with eggs on the side. "Breakfast?" She took the plate and thanked him. Something felt... off. He can cook? She sat down at the dining table. He sat next to her. She had noticed on their long journey, he liked to draw while he ate. Where's his sketchbook?

This didn't seem like Callum. She knew he couldn't cook, or he would have started a fire and done so on their trip. He wasn't drawing, as he always did. And he just... didn't feel like the boy she fell in love with. What in the... He turned to her, and his face looked different. He looked crazed. He looked... insane. "Callum?" she asked, tentatively. She had no idea what was wrong. He stood and stared at her, his eyes as dark as the night sky.

His face crackled and crumpled into a strange, gray mess. She shook with fear. He looked... like Viren. His hair turned gray, as if he was aging at remarkable speed. He grew taller. His hair took on a new style. She realized, then, that the maroon liquid wasn't moonberry juice. Viren. Just then, she heard his voice. She opened her eyes. Callum sat on the porch with her. He said she had started freaking out, so he woke her up.

She looked at him with fear and uncertainty. Was this him? Was this real Callum, or... or Viren? He looked at her, concerned. She realized by the bite of the cold, she was awake. This was Callum. Real Callum. Rayla's gaze softened. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. I'm fine. Just a... weird dream."

He took her inside. It was warm. It was nice. They sat down and Callum fiddled with some eggs. He didn't quite know how to 'cook', but he could whip something up. He could take one thing and make it edible. He came back with two plates of almost-burnt eggs. "I tried," he said, bluntly. She chuckled, but Callum could tell something troubled her. "What's wrong?" "If we're... dead, then where are my parents?"

A/N: So, ya'll are probably thinking, "But her parents aren't dead." And you're right. They are not. But she doesn't know that! She doesn't until season 4, which is 2 years from when the story is based. So yeah. She is wondering where they are.