The Promise

Chapter 9: Tattoos

When Rayla reached the river she informed her companion that the water was moving much too fast for it to be useful, and resolved to follow in upriver where she hoped it would be calmer. What she didn't mention was that the strong current also put her on edge, bringing back bad memories of an event years ago.

About five minutes into their walk Callum noticed a strange looking tree, and upon further inspection he realized that it had been struck by lightning. It was charred and missing nearly all of its bark. He committed the sight to memory. It would be something interesting to draw later, he decided.

After another hour of walking they reached a wider portion of the river with calmer waters that gave a mirror like reflection in the clear water.

Callum watched with curiosity as Rayla knelt on the bank and bent forward to wash her face. He almost expected her markings to be removed, but once she finished and turned to him he realized they were still there. All that had been removed was the black lines and streaks around her eyes.

The elf looked up at him and noticed his expression. "You have the 'dumb question' look written all over your face."

"Oh, do I? Sorry." He frowned.

"Heh, nah, you can say 'sorry' after you ask. What's your question?"

"I was just wondering, about your markings.

"What about them?"

"They obviously aren't makeup, otherwise you would've washed them off..."

"Keen eyes, there."

"...so what exactly are they? Are they tattoos, and what do they mean?"

"Well, facial markin's like these," she pointed at her cheeks, "are ones you're born with. They're sorta like a family name, I guess, but not really at the same time."

"That's kind of cool. Like stylish birthmarks. What do they mean?"

"Mine mean 'mark of the brave'. My mother has similar ones, which is a bit ironic, now that I think about it." She shook her head at that thought. "Let's not go down that road right now." She paused, thinking how to continue. "Everythin' else is tattooed. You remember Runaan's arms?" Callum vaguely remembered the intricate pattern, but couldn't recall the exact details. It was dark when he saw them. "Well, those tattoos signify that he's a leader, and they get more intricate the higher the rank."

"You can get tattoos for pretty much anythin', but my people mostly reserve that for significant life events or accomplishments. Runaan also has a tattoo over his heart, which means that he's involved with someone."

Callum soaked in all this new information. "Wow. That's really cool. Humans don't do anything like that." He paused. "You wouldn't happen to have any tattoos like that, would you? I mean, obviously you don't have any on your arms, but, uhh, what about the other kind?"

"What? No. Women don't get those. Besides, I'm not involved with anyone like that." She looked away from him, hoping he didn't notice her pained expression.

"Oh, why not?" The prince seemed relieved at the revelation that she wasn't seeing anyone.

Rayla's voice caught in her throat. That was a direct question that would lead to her confessing her feelings. She wasn't ready for that, not right now at least. It didn't feel right to her.

Callum's face reddened at her silence and clarified his question. "I-I mean, why don't Moonshadow women get those tattoos?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, she answered him. "Oh, well, it's cause women have breasts. It's kind of taboo to show your chest anyone you're not involved with, let alone to get tattoos there."

She turned back to her reflection. "Well, at least most women do," she thought. Rayla couldn't help but be jealous for Claudia's more defined figure. Of course Callum still liked Claudia, and didn't like her at all. At least not in that way. The human mage was way prettier than she was. She shook her head at herself. When did she become the jealous type?

"Hey, uhh, Rayla?" Callum wasn't sure what the next words to come out of his mouth would be. Part of him wanted to ask her how she felt about him, whether they were just friends, or could be something more.

"Yes, Callum?"

But ultimately he couldn't do it. He feared rejection too much. What would she want to do with him, anyway? Someone as pretty, kind, and charming could probably find someone way better than him. Someone who could fight, or hunt, or forage for their own food. He felt like a burden on her. Who would want to be with anyone who does nothing but drain you?

Callum was too afraid to ask Rayla about her feelings, so he resolved to ask her something else that had been on his mind since earlier this morning. "Oh, I, uhh, I was just wondering about when you started wearing makeup."

"Oh," she paused to think for a moment. It wasn't the question she had hoped he would ask. "A couple years ago? I guess. I never really kept track."

"Would it be alright for me to say that you look pretty wearing it?" he asked before hastily adding, "I mean, you look pretty without it, too. It's just different with it? I don't know what I'm saying."

"I mean, you can say that. Doesn't mean it's true," she huffed.

"Don't be ridiculous, Rayla. Human or elf, I still think you are very pretty." Callum held a dumb, triumphant smile on his face, which Rayla only caught a glimpse of before turning away to hide her blush.

"If you say so." She couldn't help but let the corners of her mouth curl up into a small smile.

A strange silence fell between the two. It wasn't entirely comfortable or uncomfortable. Rayla was trying to work up the nerve to confess her feelings, her confidence boosted by Callum's compliment. She just needed to find the right wording to do so.

Her mind unable to come up with something, she blurted out, "Callum, do you trust me?" surprising both of them.

Callum gave her an unsure look before responding. "Of course I do. What makes you think I wouldn't?"

"Well, it's just," she paused, trying to think how to word what she wanted to say. She sighed, "it's just, at the Moon Nexus when I was tryin' to convince you that your friends were up to somethin' and we shouldn't trust them. You told me that 'we don't have that yet', when you were talkin' about how you and Claudia were friends for years. That hurt." She sniffed as she began to tear up a little.

"Rayla, I'm sorry," he said as he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry I hurt you." Callum took a deep breath before continuing, "but I was right. We'll never have what Claudia and I had-"

The elf interrupted him by pushing him away, "oh, thanks. That's so reassurin'."

"Rayla, you didn't let me finish. What I was going to say is that we have something completely different, something better than what she and I had."

She soaked in his words, weighing how she should respond.

"Well, if that's how you feel about me, then there's somethin' I need to tell you." She inhaled deeply, and Callum looked at her with a questioning look. "Aloyu." The words were quick and unintelligible.

Callum paused, furrowing his brow, and attempted to comprehend what she just said, unsuccessful. "Sorry, could you, uhh, repeat that?"

She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, and spoke slower than the first time. "Callum, I love you."

Realization spread into his mind. "Oh," he said simply, with a hint of something she thought might be disappointed.

She scoffed at herself. "I knew I was a fool to think you felt the same way."

She turned away from him as tears began to fill her eyes for the second time today. Callum looked like he was about to say something when Rayla caught a glimpse of something in her blurry vision.

She blinked into focus and grew wide eyed, her heart filled with fear and dread at the massive form. She uttered a single word.

"Run."