(Runaan has been let out of the coin. [With Rayla's parents] But when Rayla tells Runaan she's dating a human, things get a little... violent. ANGSSSSTTTTT. Warning: Curse words. Word count: 1,037)
The mage tried to sit up, but couldn't. The cuts and bruises on his face stung, but his main concern was the few fractured bones he had collected. He also had am inch-deep gash on his cheek. Rayla turned from Callum to Runaan. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" she shouted. "WHY ARE YOU DATING A HUMAN?! BETTER YET, THE STEPSON OF THE MAN WHO KILLED THE DRAGON KING!" Ethari had run to Callum's side, trying to help him up. "WHAT DID CALLUM DO?!" Rayla yelled. Ethari pulled Callum's arm over his shoulder and pulled the prince up. "Up we go," he grunted. Callum winced and nearly shrieked in pain. Rayla looked at him, nearly crying at the sight of his injuries.
Rayla slapped Runaan across the face. "YOU'RE BEING AN IDIOT!" Runaan felt where she slapped him. It was turning a nice shade of pink and stung quite a bit. Runaan scowled. "RAYLA!" Callum tried to turn around to help her, but Ethari stopped him. "No. You're hurt. They'll wear themselves out. We have to get you to the hospital." Callum sighed. "Okay. Thank you."
"YOU CAN'T BLAME CALLUM FOR WHAT HIS PARENTS DID! IT WASN'T HIS FAULT! CALLUM DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Rayla continued to blabber on about how Runaan was being foolish. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME I RAN INTO A HUMAN MAGE?!" "I KILLED THAT HUMAN MAGE!" Rayla growled. Runaan seemed taken aback for a moment, then jumped right back in. "IT WASN'T HIS FAULT, RUNAAN! HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! I SWEAR IT!" Runaan shouted, "HE'S FUCKING HUMAN!"
Rayla shot right back, "WELL, MAYBE, JUST THROWING THIS OUT THERE, HUMANS. AREN'T. THAT. BAD." Runaan laughed. "NOT THAT BAD?! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAS IN THAT COIN?!" Lain cleared his throat. "Umm, hello?" Runaan flipped him off. Lain stood. "Hey!" he shouted, grabbing Runaan by his shoulder. Runaan pushed him down. Tiadrin jumped in. Soon, it was a fistfight between Rayla's parents and Runaan. Of course, being on the greatest fighting force in Xadia, Lain and Tiadrin eventually took Runaan down.
"Alright! Alright! Fine! You win!" he shouted. Meanwhile, Ethari and Callum were nearing the hospital. Runaan saw Ethari helping Callum and knew that saving the human was inevitable. "Damn it," he muttered. Rayla, realizing she was no longer a part of any fights, ran to help Callum and Ethari. She heaved his other arm over her shoulder. "Thanks," he panted.
Once Callum was given to the doctor, Ethari ran out to Runaan, who was already stomping home. Ethari caught up to him. "Runaan," he grumbled angrily. "What?! That... That pathetic human," he began with disgust. "shouldn't have laid a hand on our little girl!" Ethari groaned. "She's 15, Runaan! Think for a minute! This was bound to happen soon!" "But a human?! I could've been fine, maybe, if he were an elf! But he's human! Those mortifying creatures shouldn't even be allowed to walk this Earth," Runaan scowled.
Ethari turned Runaan to look at him rather forcefully. "Would you still love me if I were human?" "Yes! Of course I would! What kind of question- ... Oh." Ethari nodded. "I mean, did he really seem like he would, or really could, hurt Rayla?" Runaan opened his mouth to speak, but closed it not a moment later, realizing the truth in Ethari's words. He sighed. "No," he admitted. Ethari clapped him on the shoulder, walking away. "That's what I thought."
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Rayla held Callum's hand as he lay on the hospital bed, bruised and broken. She tried to comfort him, but she was terrified. "You're gonna be okay," she said many times. Soon, it faded from comforting whispers to quiet whimpers. "You're gonna be okay." Now, she seemed to be promising that to herself. Callum squeezed her hand. He wished he had the strength to sit up and hold her. He cursed himself for getting too close to Rayla in front of Runaan. She had warned him.
The doctor opened the door and strided in. With a solemn expression, she beckoned Rayla out of the room. Trying, and failing, to wipe the tears from her eyes, Rayla followed the doctor. The doctor surveyed the results again. "He'll be okay," she said finally. Rayla released the breath she hadn’t realized she'd been holding.
Rayla walked back into the room, slightly more collected. She grabbed Callum's hand, still trembling. He looked at her, risking the pain in his neck as he turned his head. "What'd she say?" Rayla breathed deeply. "She said you'll be okay." Callum smiled. "That's good," he whispered weakly. Rayla struggled to keep the tears from flowing. But, soon, they welled up too high. She started to cry. "Hey, hey. Come here," Callum whispered. She moved closer to him. He tried as hard as he could to give her a hug, which ended up being kind of a half-hug.
"This is all my fault," Rayla whimpered. "No!" Callum insisted. "If it's anybody's fault, it's mine. You told me Runaan wouldn't like me. But did I listen? Well, yes, but that's not the point. I knew I shouldn't have gotten so close. It's not your fault, Rayla." Rayla took deep, shaky breaths. "None of this is your fault," Callum whispered again.
Rayla eventually calmed down. She turned to face her injured boyfriend. "Okay. Thank you, Callum." She gave him a quick kiss and stood. Runaan stood in the doorway, nearly fuming. Callum tensed at the sight of the assassin. Rayla scowled. Runaan eventually sighed in defeat. "I- ... I came to apologize." Rayla arched an eyebrow and backed up a bit. Runaan reluctantly walked over to Callum. "I'm... sorry that I beat your ass, I guess." Rayla sighed. Runaan stuck out his hand for Callum to shake, which was harder than expected. As he was about to leave, Runaan whispered, "You got lucky this time."
Callum watched Runaan exit the room, catching a death glare. The only message that conveyed was:
This means war.
Rayla shook her head and walked back over to Callum. "Don’t mind him." Callum chuckled and winced at the pain that sent. "Easier said than done," he mumbled, gesturing to his injuries. Rayla smiled. "Oh, he'll stop. Eventually."
