Still Here

High Mage's Conflict

Callum strode through the hallways. His eyelids were weighed by the heavy weight of fatigue. He was looking for Ezran. Of course, his kingly duties got in the way. There was one person he saw. They almost ran right into each other. Both lost in thought. Callum looked up at the last moment. "Oh! Hi. Soren." "Hey, Step-mage," Soren muttered. Callum sighed. "You don't have to keep calling me that."

"Sorry." Callum could see deep thought in his eyes. "What's on your mind?" he asked. "I don't know. Suspicion. She forgave me so fast. Is that normal? It doesn't feel normal. I missed her. I missed her a lot. And now she's back, but that doesn't make me feel any better. She and Viren are- were the bad guys. I don't know. You could say I sound like Rayla, but I'm not sure I trust Claudia yet."

Callum smiled. "I'm sure she means well. I mean, it's Claudia!" This didn't make Soren feel any better, but he smiled. He smiled that same old fake smile. The smile he wore everyday. Only at night, when he was all alone, could he take it off. He could take away his happy face and reveal the real one. The one that cries. The one that... that failed. The one that had let him down.
That was Soren. That was the head of the Katolis crownguard. It was how he was.

"Anyway, I needed your help with something. Something I need you not to talk about. To anyone. And if you tell Rayla, you and Claudia will have something in common." Soren backed up a few steps. Callum followed. He looked this way and that, then pulled a small, silver ring out of his pocket. Soren gaped at him. That's why he didn't want Rayla to know!

He quickly shoved it back in his pocket. "Is that what you need help with?" "Mainly planning. I don't know how I'm gonna do it. My birthday is today, but I don't know if Rayla is in a mental state to go anywhere or do anything special. I was going to ask Ez, but he's busy. King stuff, I guess." Soren nodded. Opeli walked past them in the hallways. "Oh, can Corvus and Rayla handle Ez for a second? I need to borrow Soren."

"Yes, High Mage," she bowed a small bow and continued her walk. "My office," Callum whispered.

Once in said office, Callum asked for any advice or possible ways he could do it. Soren suggested a big thing during the next council meeting, but Callum quickly denied. "Yeah, no. I'm not sure how fast Opeli is gonna warm up to that." "Right. Picnic?" Callum gestured to the window. Thunder roared outside. "Guess not." These damn summer storms.

"Maybe during dinner?" Soren suggested. "Opeli eats in her room most days." "Not on my birthday!" "Un-invite her!" "Soren, how old are you?" Callum sighed. Maybe some other day... That's when an idea struck him. That was it! It didn't have to be that day! In fact, it would be better on a sunny, beautiful day. He would say it in the best way possible. He planned to get it perfect. "I just won't ask today! I could ask on a sunny day. Someplace beautiful. In a beautiful way."

Soren smiled and shook a finger at him. "That's a great plan!" "Thanks, Soren!" Soren left his office. The thunder rumbled outside as he strolled. He stared at the ground. Why don't things like this happen to me? "Hey, Sor-Bear. How are you?" He didn't expect Claudia to be there. He jumped at her voice and his hand flew to his sword. Soren blew out a puff of air as he remembered yesterday's events. "I'm fine, Clauds. Thanks." The mage knew he was lying, but didn't want to bug him. Didn't want to be a burden.

"Okay. Have fun protecting Ez." Claudia wasn't entirely sure what she was doing. She was nervous. Actually, nervous was an understatement. She was trying to talk to Rayla. Trying to apologize. But first, she wished to ask Callum how she should. She knocked twice on the door. "Come in," came a familiar voice from inside. He gestured to a chair. "What's on your mind?"

"I want to apologize to Rayla directly. I thought you might know how I should. Something about it doesn't feel right without knowing a bit about her." Callum winced. "I can tell you one thing she doesn't like. You. But just try to apologize and maybe she'll see you differently. I don't know. She can be... confusing." Claudia inhaled deeply.

"Okay. Thanks, Callum." And with that, she left the room.