Father Amends - A Callum story/The Dragon Prince

New Beginnings

That night they camped once the sun went down.

They all sat by the fire quietly.

Callum got up and went to him and Rayla's tent. His father followed him a few seconds later.

As his dad slowly walked in, he paused watching Callum draw.

"What you doing?," Brandon said.

"Huh...," Callum popped his head up in a scared suprise.

"You scared me!...," he said smiling.

"Did you need something?," Callum asked.

"No... I just wanted to talk to you!?," Brandon said.

"Bout' what...?," Callum said looking at his father.

"Anything!... no certain thing!?," He said looking at Callum.

Callum was shocked. He barely had words to say.

It went dead silent.

Callum scratched his head.

"Maybe something I have wanted to say... is... how old was I when you left?," Callum asked.

"Probably about... 2?!," he said in response.

"To be honest I was the nervous one when you came along... I was... At the time I was guess I was nervous that I wouldn't know how to be a father... me and your mom where getting into our mid 20s... she didn't want to screw anything up either," he said going on.

"I left... and I was a wreck!... and I felt that my judgement was clouded, so... I stayed away... not knowing how much time had passed," he continued.

"I do regret leaving and I should have sorted out my feelings... but... I didn't and I let all this time pass... forgetting that I had a family to take care of... that top priority was you!," he said tearing up.

Callum felt something. He now knew his real dad really did care about him. Then he stood up and hugged his father.

He rubbed his son's shoulder in response.

"I missed you so much," Brandon said holding Callum in a tight hug.

"I missed you too!," Callum said.

A few seconds later Rayla opened the tent entrance curtain. She found them hugging.

She smiled in happiness.

"What you doin in here...?," Callum said pulling his head up.

"Was just wondering where you were!?," She said.

"Sorry I took a long time!," Callum said putting his head on her head.

"It's fine! Figured you two were talking so I didn't want to interrupt!," She said while her head was on his shoulder.

Callum yawned.

"Think I'm gonna head to bed... I've had a long day, goodnight!," Callum said giving her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Night... I'll be in here in a bit... I'm gonna let the fire burn out!," Rayla said.

"Ok!," Callum said.

An hour passed and Rayla finally went to bed. She walked in and saw him sleeping. Of course he was drooling and snoring as always. She was happy that he can have his dad around.

She rubbed his shoulder and lightly kissed him on the head.