soulmates au
(This is in a universe where the humans and elves aren't at war and stay in their designated elves and other magical creatures in xadia and humans in the kingdoms. But there is hardcore discrimination)
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Once the age of 14 is hit the name of a soulmate appears on the wrist of the soul. Some find them in a matter of months, others never do. Some leave it to fate while others spend their lives trying to search for their other half.
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Callum looked down at the odd name that had appeared just last year "Rayla?" he muttered to himself he never heard of a name like that it just sounded off coming out of his mouth, he didn't even know if he was saying it right. "Ez how do you think this name should be said?" Callum looked to his brother playing hide and seek with bait. Ezran gave a shrug "I dunno. Shouldn't you be able to say it if you are ya know soulmates?" he asked. Callum sighed "Well I've never heard a name like that in Katolis." he sprawled out on his bed with a loud thump and a huff "I'll never find my soulmate." he muttered defeated. "Hey, you'll find them just maybe not yet," Ezran said trying to cheer his brother up. "Thanks, Ez I guess you never know,". Callum grabbed his sketchbook and began to draw his 'dream girl'. Beautiful silver eyes, Long luscious hair, a sweet smile, a beautiful dress, he was spaced looking down to his leather-bound book with a smile each stroke looking better than the next she looked really nice, perfect almost. Callum wrote his name on her exposed wrist. "There," he said softly before lightly closing his book. Drawing always helped him with whatever he was going through whether it be just for fun or for therapy it was relaxing. Callum looked up from his sketchbook to see Claudia looking at his drawing until he noticed her "Oh...hi Claudia what are you doing up here?"
"Soren sent me to get you for training, or whatever."
Callum sighed and got up and walked down the stairwell Claudia in front of him, steps echoing the almost empty halls. Claudia turned to look at Callum "So who were you drawing earlier?" she asked with a sly smile knowing exactly what he was drawing, it was what he was always drawing. Callum paused not noticing how he stopped in his tracks "oh..umm.. well you see it was nothing but all it-" Claudia put a finger up to Callum's mouth shushing him and burst into laughter "Callum I know you were drawing what you think your soulmate will look like, I mean haven't we all yours is probably just drawn better than mine was when I tried to imagine."
"Oh," was all Callum managed to say 'was it that obvious?' They got to the bright courtyard shortly. Callum hated the area not because he didn't like the outdoors he actually loved being outside in a serene environment relaxing drawing listening to the soft waves of a nearby river, but no he couldn't go outside to relax normally only to do dumb sword stuff. Callum saw it as a waste of time what was the point there was and has been peace for a while not like bloodthirsty elves walked into the kingdom every day. Even if there was one it was normally a leader there for a meeting or some other diplomatic thing, so he never really saw them much. Callum had heard stories since he was young about how elves are monstrous savages that destroy everything with no regard, especially Moonshadow elves Callum had heard many tales of the elite fighters. He scoffed at the thought of the bloodthirsty monsters. Callum was snapped out of his thoughts greeted with a smack in the head with a heavy tree branch, he hadn't really looked up deep in thought and fell to the ground hearing muffled snickers, he knew those annoying giggles all too well. Once Callum was standing again and Soren pulled himself together often getting dangerous glares from Claudia. Callum was glad Claudia was there for him yea, he had Ezran but really didn't have anyone besides that. Claudia made him laugh but also made him think when it was time to be serious he loved that about her. He looked down at his wrist again and sighed knowing as much as he would like it Claudia was not his soul mate. "Hey, more like watch your step-prince," Soren said almost falling from hysteric laughter Claudia scolded him saying Callum was their friend but couldn't hold back some small giggles none the less, Callum knew Claudia loved her brother no matter how much he got on her nerves it reminded him of Ezran and himself. Callum walked over to the small bin that had the wooden training swords in it almost knocking over the bin in the process. Soren scoffed and rolled his eyes and the sight and walked over "Okay so today we're going to work on actually hitting your target for once." he sighed clearly agitated. The two got into position and started the lesson.
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Feet pounding against the lush undergrowth of the forest as the wind brushed past, the afternoon sun shining brightly radiating off of every leaf in the forest. The entire forest alive as Rayla sprinted through she loved the rush of adrenaline as she trained, she knew she would be one of the best assassins Xadia had ever seen she would make Runnan proud no matter what. A small smirk grew on Rayla's face as she neared a large oak. She swiftly hopped from branch to branch until she reached a large hill with a small shack on the top, Rayla loved that shack it was home. Rayla walked up to the tall wooden door runes and other designs carved into the twisting patterns of the wood, the handle was cold meaning Runnan was still out and Tinker was probably tinkering by his workbench. Rayla kicked open the door dramatically "I'm back!" she yelled, making Tinker drop his gadget "Rayla you need to stop doing that I've had to fix that door about 5 times this month from your dramatic entrances." he said trying to keep a straight face. "Alright, alright what are ya working on anyway?" she asked sitting down at the small stool next to him. "It's a charm that can hide you if you're in a dangerous situation."
"Ohh, so like when Runnan breaks one of your things and has to hide or run for his life?"
"exactly"
"cool, cool."
Rayla stood back up almost knocking over the stool in the process "Speaking of Runnan where is he?" she asked looking around. Tinker gave a slight shrug "Probably bruting or training like he always is." Tinker said not looking up from his small charm. Rayla walked back out of the hut wearing a small smile as she knew just where Runnan always trained, meditated, did anything really it was like his second home and Raylas as well. She entered a medium garden with lush greenery everywhere spilling out of every nook and cranny of it, a small stone path guiding her to the center where a mossy stone platform lay Runnan in the center meditating just as she thought in front of the pond looking like a mirror or a gateway to another realm. The pond had always intriuieged Rayla, she slowly walked up behind Runnan hoping to surprise him.
"Rayla, what brings you here?" he asked as Rayla swore under her breath "How'dacha know it was me?" a puzzled look dawning her face as she sat down criss-cross next to him. "Rayla, I'm the one who trained you I know all the tricks in the book," he said with smirk eyes still closed. She smiled back at him as they sat in silence for a while in front of the pond body mirrored in the water, Rayla hated the water she refused to swim and taking short showers when she had to but this water didn't seem as bad it gave off this sort of aura that comforted her. Maybe because it is Runnan and Tinker met or maybe because it is where she would spend most of her training growing older but she loved it none the less. Runnan looked over to her eyes now open "Rayla have you put any thought into finding your soulmate?" he asked Rayla scrunched her nose at the idea she never really thought of the whole soulmate idea being right if you find someone you love it isn't because you saw a name on your wrist it's because you know them it was a stupid idea to her. "No, not really I think it's kinda dumb honestly my heart is for Xadia," she said with a small shrug, Rayla had never looked at the name other than when it first appeared covering it at all times with gloves, cloth, or make-up Tinker had given her from a visit to katolis. "Why do you ask?" she asked looking to Runnan for any reason for the odd question. Runnan sighed and looked to her "Just wondering that's all, it's good to know how devoted you are to Xadia." he gave a smile before standing up brushing the dirt off of his clothes and stretching quickly. Rayla did the same walking out of the small garden over into the woods once more she loved to train the adrenaline rush, it made her feel so alive forget everything that held her down the rush of the wind blowing against her face the feeling of hitting a target or even a tree with a direct hit and feeling that pride and confidence swell up felt amazing makes her feel so good like she was on a cloud, like she could do anything. She soon reached the border of the woods of Xadia and the nearest human kingdom, Katolis. Rayla had never really gone in depth into many human kingdoms only really ever stopping in small villages in a disguise backed by illusionist magic. Then again Rayla lived for the rush of the unknown she didn't care she knew she could get out of anything if she did run into any trouble. She put her hood up and slipped on some human gloves she had found a while ago exploring a bit. The kingdom looked busy people walking around many in rushes almost knocking her over from surprise from time to time. There looked to be humans from every walk of life, every culture every age it was cool, to say the least Rayla felt the same rush she did running almost she had not seen many things like this, she knew humans were weak but like tinker they liked to busy themselves with their work devoting their lives to trades and finding others like them. Rayla wore a small smile as she walked through the center of the town there was a large courtyard leading to the castle it was mammoth stone everywhere looking like it could reach the clouds. "Hey what are you doing?" Rayla was snapped out of her thoughts as she looked around to where the voice was coming from eyes landing on a taller guard looking fellow with bright blonde hair with a smaller boy looking around her age with brown hair shaggier and nervous looking. "What does it look like?" she asked the taller. "Intruding, duh," he said voice snapping annoyed at the question. "How is standing looking at the architecture intruding?" she asked sass leaking out of every word, as she spoke the other just seemed to study her as she shifted her weight to her other foot. "What?" she snapped at him. She really didn't mean to be rude but the taller was already pushing her buttons. "What can I not look at who I'm talking to?"
"From what I heard you didn't say a peep"
The once nervous boy was now looking annoyed with his arms crossed. "Okay, it's enough I have to put up with him being bad at everything so if you don't leave I'm going to have to 'escort' you right to the king," he said flatly standing a bit in front of the younger. Rayla let out a scoff and walked off into a crowd 'who does he think he is it was obviously a public area there was no fence or anything trying to outright keep me out?' she thought to herself as she disappeared into a sea of shoppers.
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Callum didn't really know or understand what just happened first he was training with Soren then a person with a weird accent was standing in the courtyard looking up at the towers and then he snapped at her, he didn't mean to but she was being a bother and he was already frustrated and on edge from failing at training, not to mention how Soren seemed to find his failure too funny. The two eventually finished up training and Callum headed up to his room to sketch as he always did to calm down after 'training'. "How was training?" Ezran asked from his bed not looking up from the intense belly rubbing of bait. Callum let out a sigh as he sat down next to Ezran "Horrible as usual." he said throwing his head back annoyed just thinking about the training. "And there was this girl-,"
"oooooh" Ezran cooed "did you get her name?"
"What? No even if I did there is no way someone like her could be my soulmate."
"She can't be that bad you need to give her a chance what if it was her?"
Callum sighed knowing Ezran was right "How did you get so smart?" he asked. "Magic?" Ezran said with a shrug Callum looked down at his open sketchbook and noticed what he had been mindlessly drawing, the girl Callum sighed and set his sketchbook on a side table looking down at bait who was happily getting his belly rubbed. "Hey, Ez do you ever think about finding your soulmate?" he asked. "No, not really I don't really connect with people I like animals better they're much easier to comprehend," he said finally looking up from bait. "How could you not want to find your soulmate, like they are your other half," Callum said brows furrowed. "Not all of us are as obsessed as you, some of us have lives," Ez said with a small smirk. Callum looked at his brother scoffing "Alright well I'm going to the library if you need me," he said getting up and pushing back his blankets into place. "Hoping to see Claudia?" Ezran asked. Callum felt a heat rise on his neck and ignored Ezran hoping if he didn't say anything he didn't have anything to mess up and stumble over.
