Rayllum A New Beginning

Chapter 1: Rayla

I woke slightly to the sound of pages being flipped through. I shook my head and muttered to myself, knowing this interruption from sleep had been from my beloved husband Prince Callum. I rolled onto my other side to face him, put my head on his chest and my hand on his arm. "You need to rest sweetie," I mumbled, still groggy. Callum chuckled and put his book on the nightstand and blew out the candle he was using to read. With his hands now free he wrapped an arm around my back, the other one pushing hair out of my face.

"I know," he finally replied. "But I am trying to do as much research as possible to try to connect to the moon arcanum."

"Oh and why is that?" I respond rolling my eyes.

"Because I want to have another connection to you." I could see the faint outline of his smile due to the limited moonlight streaming through our window. I leaned up just enough to softly kiss the smile away, knowing that was a good enough answer. Callum slowly slid his back off his pillow mound, he used when reading, so he could better hold me while we slept. Just as my eyelids get heavy again, Callum gently kissed my forehead goodnight before dozing off himself.

Callum that night had forgotten to close the curtains after his late reading/trying to connect to the moon arcanum, so when I cracked my eyes open in the morning I was greeted with blinding sun and a piercing headache. I began blinking rapidly to get my eyes to adjust, but then my stomach started churning. I shot out of bed as bile rose in my throat. I ran to the bathroom as last night's dinner made a reappearance. Halfway through my stomach emptying its contents into the porcelain bowl, I felt my hair being lifted out of my face and a reassuring hand rubbing circles along my back. That's when I realized that the background noise of Callum's snoring had ended. I glanced over at him and he flashed the kind of reassuring smile that reminded me that I don't have to face things alone anymore. This was the third morning in a row that I woke up with the need to puke. I was starting to worry I had a stomach virus, when I felt the comforting weight of Callum's hand leave my back. I was worried he left for some reason when he came back with a cup of water in his hand. I nodded my head in thanks as I accepted the glass. I swished my mouth to get the rest of the stomach acid out. "This is really starting to be annoying," I grumbled.

"What do you mean?" Callum asked, concerned, "This isn't the first time you've vomited recently?"

I shook my head "This is morning three. Normally you just sleep through it," I stated matter of factly.

"We're in this together. Why haven't you been waking me up?" Callum asked, his concern, obviously growing.

"I didn't want to bother or worry you. Especially because you look so cute and peaceful when you sleep," I explained as Callum sweetly smiled and brushed the hairs that were stuck to my forehead out of the way.

"You could never bother me, my love," Callum says softly. He picks me up bridal style, holding me against his slightly muscular chest, and carries me to bed. "You need to rest. Thankfully being the high mage hasn't been that much work recently, so I can take care of you." His face is aglow, clearly excited that he gets to be the one to take care of me and not the other way around. I smile a little as he carefully tucks me in and props my head up. He leans in to kiss me but I stop him.

"If I really am sick please don't kiss me, I don't want you to get it too." but what if you're not sick my brain inquires. nope, being sick is the only thing possible. I had to shut that thought down as quickly as possible.

Callum rolled his eyes, he then begrudgingly said fine. "So," he started, quickly changing his mood, "Do you need anything? Soup? A cool washcloth? More pillows or blankets?"

"Callum, I'm fine. It's probably just a passing stomach bug," I say, interrupting him. "Plus, I have to go to that big meeting with the head guards."

"You're sure you're not lying to get out of resting?" Callum asked skeptically. I nodded and walked over to the closet to get dressed. After changing I stepped into the bathroom to detangle my bed head. Callum was waiting for me in there.

"I need you to promise you're not going to push yourself to the point of collapse."

"I doubt I will," I say, trying to be reassuring but knowing that I'm failing. I walk out of the room to get to the meeting before Callum can stop me again.