The Dragon Prince - Marked

Part 8

"Rayla?" They spoke softly while lightly pulling on her arm to turn her around. Rayla looked up to see Astoria and just hugged the older elf. Rayla didn't know why she did this, but it didn't matter to her in the end. She just needed a shoulder to cry on. After few minutes passed by, and Rayla's whimpering had died down for the most part, Astoria walked her into the observation room that overlooked the room they were in.

"What's wrong child? Why are you crying? I was told Callum would make a full recovery."

"I'm not crying because I'm scared that he'll be hurt." Rayla began, "I want him safe, but I'm scared that he'll blame me for everything that's happened. We've been in Xadia for five days, and he's spent more time nursing his wounds and takin beatings than he has anything else." Astoria listened attentively as Rayla spoke, "I already spoke to him about this, but I'm worried his answer will change. I'm terrified that he'll hate me for not being able to protect him." Rayla finished, defeated. After a moment of silence, the older elf spoke up.

"Rayla, who's mark do you bare?"

"What?"

"Whose mark is that on your hand?" Rayla looked at her hand to see her and Callum's binding mark. Blushing, she answered the question.

"It's ours. We cast the spell only a day or so ago."

"When you performed the spell, was he willing?"

"No. Not at first. He kept trying to get me to say that it was a bad idea and that he'd only hold me back. That he'd be nothing but dead weight that I'd never escape from."

"So, you're saying that he was worried he wasn't enough for you." Rayla looked up to see Astoria smiling at her, "Rayla, tell me. What does he mean to you?"

"Callum, he's everythin. He makes me smile, laugh, he's always willing to do whatever I ask. He's always there for me, even when I told him about his father, he didn't blame me. I love him."

"Perfect, that's exactly what I needed to hear." Rayla looked at the smiling elf in confusion, "Cause he seems mighty adamant about findin you." Astoria said pointing behind Rayla. Rayla quickly looked behind her. There, on the other side of the one-way glass, Callum was fighting against some elves at the door. Astoria flipped a switch on the panel next to them and suddenly Rayla could hear Callum.

"Where's Rayla! I swear if you hurt her you'll regret it! Get out of my way!"

Ignoring the pain in her leg, Rayla swiftly ran out into the hall and back into the room Callum was. Before he could realize what happened, Rayla tackled Callum in a hug and both fell to the ground. Callum was only quiet once recognized the familiar cloak Rayla wore.

"Give em their space. The young ones need some time." Astoria told the nurses smiling.

An hour later Astoria Checked in on the young couple to find them sitting on the bed playing with Zym.

"Ah much better." Rayla and Callum looked at the door to see Astoria with a happy smirk on her face. Deciding it best to not touch on their relationship, "I see you're already healing nicely Callum."

"Yeah. Rayla told me what the docs told her but its only my broken arm that's hard to use."

"That's good. Now, I hate to ruin the happy mood, but we have to go over some things." Rayla and Callum looked at each other confused then back at Astoria. "Nothing to serious, don't worry. Firstly, I'd like to thank you for risking yourselves to deliver the Dragon prince here. Secondly I'd like you to know that you are always welcome here and can stay as long as you'd like on one condition."

"And that would be?" Callum questioned.

"You take on the roles of the Dragon Kings Guard. Callum, you're going to be the strongest mage to ever live. Not just in magical power, but in influence as well. Brother and advisor of the most powerful king in the land and protector of the Dragon King. With Rayla at your side, the two of you'll be unstoppable in future battles. The two of you in fact, are the first step in healing the relations between elves and humans. Your bond marks prove it." Rayla was speechless, but Callum was surprisingly reserved.

"And how exactly do you know all this?"

"Easy. I can see the future." There was silence.

"Come again?" Rayla asked.

"Yes, I can and have seen your futures as well as your pasts many times. For instance. Rayla, when you were little, the first time Runaan took you to learn how to use a bow, you ended up shooting an arrow into one of his horns." Rayla blushed remembering the face Runaan made when the healer laughed at him for the arrow in his horn, "Callum. At Ezran's eighth birthday party, King Harrow ended up getting covered in sweet tart jelly. It took him months to get the smell out of his hair." Astoria laughed at Callum's surprised face.

"Just how much do you know?" Rayla asked, quite amused at Astoria's knowledge.

"A lot. Another point of interest may be Callum's apparent growth." At this, Callum's interest peaked.

"You know why I'm so much 'bigger'?"

"Of course. It's the mark. When performed, the mate spell forces the castors' bodies to equalize and if needed, force into maturity. The spell unifies two beings as well as ensures that the castors are both able to have children. You simply grew up Callum." At this point, Rayla and Callum were blushing from the children comment, "Rayla had done all the physical growing she needed, you on the other hand had to and by my guess still are growing." Callum looked himself over and just noticed that his once baggy clothing fit as if it were only a size too big, "Good thing too. I'd guess you only completed the spell after you left my medical hut right?"

"Yeah." Rayla confirmed, "What of it?"

"Well it's not complete yet."

"Whadya mean?" Rayla questioned.

"Well, since Callum isn't finished growing, you two haven't, how should I say, laid with each other. You need to in order to complete your bond." It was at this point that Callum just stopped functioning correctly. Sure, he loved Rayla but was he even ready for what the older elf had implied. Much like her mate's reaction, Rayla was as stiff as a bored and blushing madly. What broke the both of them out of their own heads was Astoria's hearty laugh.

"You don't need to worry." She started, "The time will come naturally. When both your bodies are ready. Just do yourselves a favor and be honest. When you feel the 'pressure', tell the other. The faster you complete the bond, the stronger it'll be. Now, supper is about to be served. Would you like to eat here in privacy or eat with me and my team in the mess hall? It's up to you two." Callum and Rayla looked at each other for a moment before Rayla responded.

"We'll eat with you all, just give us a moment to get ready."

"Take all the time you need. We'll save you seats and meals. Don't take too long through, or else the food will get cold." With that, Astoria eft the young couple alone.

"Did you know about the, uh, intimate part of the spell?" Callum asked Rayla.

"I'm sorry Callum. It's just that in the moment it slipped my mind and then I couldn't figure out how to bring it up. You're not mad are you?" Rayla asked expecting anger from the boy.

"Rayla, its fine. I'm not mad." Callum assured her. Holding her marked hand to his own mark he smiled and continued talking, "You mean everything to me, and I've already told you I'd do whatever it takes to be with you and keep you safe. As Astoria said, it'll be natural right? So, then there's nothing to worry about."

"Right!" Rayla responded, "Let's get going."