#katolis boys

[raayllum]

These scenes added 10 years to my life

#rayllum #s4 #4x05 #sorayla #broyals #parallels #screencaps #arc 2 #s4 spoilers #brotp #katolis boys #plus rayla hi rayla #tdp spoilers #tdp #the dragon prince #'he was Miserable' yes thank you soren love this for me #1k

[sketched--in--stone]

Have some Callum cuz the lighting got SO DARN BEAUTIFUL

Who dis who’s drawing backgrounds, idk her—

#TDP #the dragon prince #dragon prince #Callum #prince Callum #love dis boi #Rayla #raylum #ezran #katolis #Claudia #Amaya #general Amaya #Viren #sunset #castle #golden hour #TDP fanart #fanart #fantasy art #magic #mage #elf #human #procreate #art #digital art #aaravos #Soren #TDP Soren

[kradogsrats]

realized I've referenced this in several fics now but never explained it, so here's a Katolian Clerical Order headcanon:

So Katolis is the oldest human kingdom, yeah? As such, when it began to coalesce into something structured and functional as a society, there was still a strong connection to the cultural trauma of the expulsion from Xadia in terms of the entirety of human history being lost within 3-4 human lifetimes. The other kingdoms don't feel that quite as keenly, because they mostly wind up defining themselves in some way relative to Katolis, but before Katolis there was only Elarion. Then it's been at least a couple hundred years, so even Elarion has already taken on a mythic quality—you might as well say "Atlantis" or "Camelot." Just like no one knows the names of the first dark mages, or the Dragon Queen who cast humanity out, or that there were ever human primal mages at all, there aren't even any recorded first-hand accounts of Elarion left.

Anyway, where the Clerics come in is that Katolis winds up having a strong cultural drive to take control of its own history, down to a personal level. In addition to safeguarding the laws and traditions of Katolis, the Clerics maintain what is essentially a kingdom-wide census. Births, deaths, marriages and divorces, adoptions—all can be added to the records that go back almost as far as the kingdom itself. It's not mandatory, except for the royal family (there's some complex legal implications involved), but the majority of people do it because their parents did it, and their parents, etc. That's not to say it's particularly useful, because apparently no one in this setting has a surname, but let's pretend that sufficiently extensive cross-referencing can compensate for that. The records aren't generally legally binding, but they can be used for things like voiding a debt with a recorded death, or limiting inheritance to only offspring of recorded spouses.

There's also a tangential set of records for things like government positions, so yes, you can look up exactly who has been high mage or on the High Council or whatever for the past several centuries. The Clerics themselves, of course, keep detailed logs of everyone in their ranks, down to the acolytes. And there's definitely some office where anyone can walk into and make a records request (obviously they don't let just anyone paw through the 500-year-old scrolls) and the archivists will find and transcribe the info for you.

#headcanons #katolis #part of why opeli is so insistent on the throne staying empty when the boys are missing is that #having to revert a recorded royal death would probably cause an archivist mutiny

[stuck-in-jelly]

Details i think about constantly from the novelizations of The Dragon Prince:

King Harrow made that doggy door for Bait himself instead of letting the royal carpenter do it

Viren calls hugs ‘familial clasp’

Amaya makes Ezran and Callum a full breakfast at the Banther Lodge and is described as ‘A breakfast connoisseur’

Corvus wears a cloak in his initial appearance

When Viren first tries to sieze the crown he fully puts on coronation robes before Amaya stops the ceremony (side note i couldn’t stop laughing thinking about it in terms of having your wedding crashed)

When Gren hesitates translating Amaya saying ‘Bullshit’ she turns to him and signs ‘Say it.’

Its stated that Soren ‘adored Callum and Ezran.’ And he hoped that they were still alive (said when Viren told him to kill the princes)

When Ezran was drowning in the icy water trying to get Zym he dreamt of his mother hugging him

Soren pretended he thought Claudia’s nose tap was stupid whenever their dad was around cause Viren thought it was stupid. But when their dad wasn’t around Soren would tap his nose in response to her

Soren calls Claudia “a daddy’s girl” (way to drive in the foreshadowing)

King Harrow was going to listen to Sarai and not kill the titan but Viren told The Queens of Duren the cost Katolis would pay and they refused help if Harrow’s Kingdom was to suffer as well

Corvus waited for Claudia to leave for the bathroom cause he knew he wouldnt be able to fool her but could fool Soren. Only reason he didn’t make it was cause Claudia came back just in time to trap him again

Oh yeah Ezran not only can speak to animals and sense their emotions. He can FEEL their pain. He felt Pyrrah’s pain when she was shot.

Opeli during a council meeting with Harrow as king objected one of his ideas then became scared she would demoted or killed but Harrow assigned her head of the council that day

Ezran recognizes Corvus? (Possibly cause he was in Amaya’s Battalion)

When Soren makes his Dragon Smash Boy ‘Haiku’ and Claudia tells him he got the wrong number of syllables he yells “Well, Im rebelling against the tyranny of the Haiku!”

Claudia was in the puzzle house when Viren and Kpp’Ar got into their argument and accidentally overheard them

Amaya initially offered her hand to Janai when she was dangling off the cliff but Janai refused it.

#jelly tarts #the dragon prince #im a sucker for small details and added context

[jelzorz]

The Crack Quartet Timeline BC I'm sleep deprived and obsessed. Some housekeeping before we get into it:

For those unaware, the canon crack quartet, as @raayllum and I like to refer to them, is rayllum and the following insane trio of ships: claudiez, sorpeli, and corterry

You read that correctly

I got dragged onto this boat unwillingly so now all of you have to suffer too.

These are my hcs and I've already written some of it into fic (linked for convenience). Some of these @raayllum and I share but they also have their own separate ones and these are specific to what I've written already

It's important to note that the crack quartet can only ever take place 10-15 years from the end of canon. Everyone involved by this point is a fully consenting adult. Please keep this disclaimer in mind before you all start coming at me.

Now that that's out of the way

Some of you may have read the seed, so you may know already that I hc Soren and Corvus to be pretty steady at least until the end of the war, where the trauma is too heavy for both of them to be healthy about it. Soren ends the relationship and Corvus informally leaves the council. He's always preferred the serenity of the forest to the hustle and bustle of the castle anyway, and he returns every now and then to give Ezran reports about how things are going among the surrounding towns. It's on one of these journeys that he meets Terry, and their passing knowledge of each other is what gets them talking over a drink in a tavern. Corvus is doing his job and listening for gossip. Terry wants know if he's heard anything about Claudia. All the drama aside, it's nice to see a familiar face and to talk about old times.

In Katolis, Ez and Rayla bully Opeli into taking self defence lessons with Soren after she insists Ez keeps up his swordfighting lessons when she herself has never touched a weapon in her life. If you haven't already read the seed, this is how sorpeli starts. Soren and Opeli have been p good friends for years now, and he has never considered her a mother figure the same way Callum and Ezran might have. He was essentially an adult when everything started so he hasn't ever really needed that guidance, but he's always had a ton of respect for her too. He is 24/25ish when he realises he's caught feelings. He asks her to dance at Callum and Rayla's wedding. He starts having tea with her in the mornings and walking with her to Temple Hill (ia163a)

Claudia tries to leave but the other medics beg her not to. They need her help and her knowledge of medicinal herbs and potions. There's no one to replace her. She stays for a little longer, intending to leave the following week when a cart arrives bearing equipment and support and the king's seal. There is also a letter addressed to Lissa. In it, Ez promises her that her secret is safe, and that she will always have a home in the castle if she wants it.

The month before Callum and Rayla's wedding, the kids are called away to a skirmish in a little town near the border. Ez goes for a wander through town to assess damage and how much they'll need in funds to repair everything when he finds a small clinic that desperately needs financial support. This is where he finds Claudia. She is tending to the medicinal herbs in the garden when he rides past. She's been going from town to town trying to make up for all the trouble she caused by assisting in their clinics and apothecaries under the name Lissa. Ez recognises her immediately. He knows he should tell the others. He does not. He is 14/15.

Callum, snake boi that he is, is Not Having It. Claudia is thrown into a cell on arrival and he insists on exiling her as a minimum but Ezran, who's been in contact this whole time, knows she's been trying to make amends for her mistakes. He demands a trial on her behalf. Soren agrees. Opeli, as a stand in for Justice, argues that a trial is the fair thing to do. Rayla looks at Ezran, realises something else is going on, and agrees that a trial is the better way to go. The sentence her to service within the castle. Callum is Not Happy about it. (ia165)

For a while, everything is fine. Callum and Rayla get married, and castle life is pretty stable in amongst the political squabbles and the trips to quell conflicts in the surrounding towns. Soren hangs out with Opeli pretty regularly. Ez is writing letters to Claudia and personally funding the clinic she works at. Callum and Rayla start trying for a baby. Rayla falls pregnant three years after their wedding. She is 20ish weeks along when Claudia comes home.

This is one of the biggest disagreements Ez and Callum ever have. Rayla does her best to placate them both but she is also pregnant and doesn't want to deal with it. Frustrated that his brother won't trust his decision making and keeps treating him like a child, Ez spends more and more time with Claudia, who trusts him and treats him like an adult, until they're courting in all but name. Callum HATES this but reigns it in for Rayla's sake who's stressed enough. She goes into labour at the end of that summer and suffers a post partum haemorrhage so bad that the only thing that can fix it is Claudia's knowledge of Xadian herbs. The midwives kick Callum out of the room to let Claudia in and Ezran lets them. Rayla and the baby are both fine thanks to Claudia but Callum is FURIOUS with Ezran for allowing it to happen.

Opeli miscarries. She collapses during a council meeting, and it all comes out while the castle doctor and Claudia are attending to her. Callum and Ezran realise how stupid they've been because of the way they hadn't even noticed and they are speaking to each other again by the time Opeli is in recovery. Callum accepts Ezran and Claudia's courtship and does his best to process both this and Soren and Opeli (ia164) and things settle down again for a little while. Opeli resigns from her post as High Cleric and attempts to do the same from the council but Ez refuses her resignation and keeps her on informally. Soren and Opeli are married in a quiet ceremony. Opeli finds herself pregnant again six months later.

They're so caught up in the drama that no one notices Soren and Opeli having drama of their own. They are now having secret, hurried meetings in each other's quarters, knowing how absolutely Forbidden it is, especially for Opeli, both because of her age and her position as High Cleric, but they can't stay away from each other until Opeli starts throwing up in the mornings and she breaks it off in her panic. Rayla is the only one who notices and goes investigating. She is the only one Opeli allows to know of the situation. Rayla goes to Claudia to find the appropriate herbs to help Opeli with her Dilemma, and Claudia figures it out on her own 1) because she knows her brother, and 2) she's not an idiot. Rayla takes the opportunity to thank her properly for saving her life and their friendship begins here, while the boys are still at odds with each other. Opeli does not take the herbs in the end. (the fruit)

Viren returns to the castle that same year. It's Claudia's return all over again: Callum demands he be executed on the spot. Ezran wants to give him a trial. Claudia begs them not to kill him through her courtship with Ezran, her relationship with Soren, and her friendship with Rayla. Soren votes no, for himself and for Claudia. Rayla votes yes because, tentative friendship with Claudia aside, she can't trust Viren, especially not with her and Callum's little one running around. Ezran votes no because he wants to be a better king. Clio, the new High Cleric, Opeli's old 2IC, votes yes as the stand in for LJ. Barius, too soft hearted, votes no. Opeli is the deciding vote. She also votes no and all hell breaks loose all over again. (the snake).

Anyway, this is where we're up to. Obviously there will be more as I update the snake but I don't wanna give anything away BC hooo boy that drama is a doozy. I know, okay, these ships are Insane but the extrapolation you can do is just so Delicious and the drama is absolutely *chef kiss*

Now with part 2: electric boogaloo

#rayllum #sorpeli #claudiez #corterry #canon crack quartet

[amys-books27]

For me, the reason Rayla didn't send letters to Katolis to inform the boys she was alive from time to time, is because as she said in Dear Callum, she didn't want to give them hope that she'll be coming back when she wasn't sure.

For all she knew, she could send the letter and when they received it she could be already dead. For all she knew, she could be dead at any time.

And this way of thinking and processing might come from her parents abandoning her.

We don't know much, but what if they did send letters to her once a month or even weekly? And those letters always give her hope she will see them again soon. Which didn't happen, and when she found out they were missing all that hope held in her heart became hatred for herself because she was too naive to believe it, and only did because she wanted it to be true. It hurt her most because they gave her hope of something that would not happen. That didn't happen. As she says, it was too much pain for her to bear. And also as she said in her letter to Callum, she didn't want him to feel the same as she did.

Then, when she returns, Rayla understands she screw things up and didn't do the right thing. Didn't leave in the best way. She understands that she hurt Callum. Maybe she'll also understand she doesn't need to pay the price for other people's mistakes, and that she can break the cycle of abandonment in her family. She can and she will.

#rayllum #through the moon #the dragang #the dragon prince #tdp callum #tdp rayla #tdp s3 #tdp s5 #tdp s6 #moonshadow elves #moonfam

[a-very-sparkly-nerd]

4th and final chapter of my Rayllum Hadestown AU is up!!!

If You Ever Walk This Way…

Rayla reacted before Callum, forcing composure and shoving ahead of him, barely concealing any of his larger frame–she’d missed a growth spurt, she realized sadly. It was the little things she missed the most, but hadn’t even realized.

“Nothing,” she swore. Callum– he had to get out of here. There was no hope left for her, but there was for him. He couldn’t know she’d signed her soul away. The stupid, lovable boy needed to fucking listen to her when she told him to stay away, but of course he didn’t. Rayla couldn’t find it in herself to be upset, just overcome with love and the overwhelming desire to kiss him silly and never let him go again. “He was just leaving.”

“Finnegrin,” Callum started, approaching him and stretching out his hand. He didn’t know Finnegrin wasn’t a man that could be reasoned with, that any attempts were doomed to fail before they even began. “Hi. I’m Prince Callum of Katolis. I’m here to-”

Finnegrin cut him off, voice sharp and unyielding. “You barge into my tower, demand a meeting with me with no prior warning, and then I find you canoodling with my best fighter? By all means, boy, explain yourself. It’s looking spectacular for you.”

Callum wiped his hands on his pants. “I’m here to bring her back. Bring her home. That’s all I want. Please. Let her come home with me.”

Rayla covered her mouth, unsure of whether she’d smile or cry. Probably both.

Finnegrin stared at him for a moment.

Rayla looked to Callum. Callum looked to her, smiling reassuringly like he could just fix things. He took her hands, his own so warm– when was the last time she’d touched someone so warm, so soft and loving and delicate, other than Stella? Yeah, Rayla was definitely about to cry. She barely managed to shove the lump in her throat down.

And Finnegrin burst out laughing.

Callum stepped back, confused, and Rayla clutched his arm. “Callum, you need to go. Leave, right now–”

“No,” he said with finality, squeezing her hand. “I’m never taking my eyes off of you again.”

Rayla couldn’t argue with him, not when he looked at her like that, not when this was the boy she’d give anything for, even with everything that had and would happen. He looked at her as if she was the world, even with all she’d done, and he was home. She wanted to go home so badly it broke her all over again.

In one fluid motion, Finnegrin’d strode over to Callum and hoisted him up by the collar, her mage’s eyes wide and panicked as he kicked the air in surprise.

Leaning in close, Finnegrin growled, “Who the fuck do you think you are? Who the fuck do you think you’re looking at?” He jerked his head to Rayla, and she was suddenly pinned in place by his cold eyes, by the crippling memory of freezing blood. “Go on, girl. Go home.”

Callum glanced from Finnegrin to her, processing her denial for the first time. Realizing that there was a reason she’d insisted he leave. “What’s… What’s going on?” he breathed, eyes fearful and begging her for answers.

“Or,” Finnegrin continued, but Rayla cut him off. She owed Callum hearing this from her at the very least.

“I can’t,” she blurted, feeling the lump in her throat return, its size doubled. “I–”

Finnegrin sighed, annoyed. He dropped Callum, and he fell to the ground. In spite of herself, the logical part of her brain, Runaan’s voice, screaming at her not to show Finnegrin just what he meant to her, Rayla rushed to help him up, make sure he was okay. Her heart hurt more than any spell, any blow could compare to.

“She signed the contract,” Finnegrin told him, an evil smile creeping up his face. “She is mine. Her soul is mine.”

Read more on AO3!

#orpheus had ONE JOB and i'm still salty #like BRO #tdp #the dragon prince #rayllum #fanfic #fanfiction #tdp fanfic #my fic #au #rayllum au #hadestown

[blutopaz15]

Okay, I need a shove in a direction because I've hardly written lately, but I have a long weekend and am feeling like words might actually be happening...

#rayllum fanfic #rayllum #wips #literally have written ONE day so far this year #hardly wrote over my winter break either #i NEED to find some motivation

[thosefiveadoraburrs]

say the wind won’t change on us

Summary: Callum discovers that Rayla came back to Katolis, secretly injured with a slow-acting curse, when they're already two weeks deep into sailing the Sea of the Cast Out. Arguments, caretaking, and the search for a cure ensues. Written with @raayllum​

She was fine, really.

Technically, the cut itself wasn’t bad. It had scabbed over months ago. Yes, there was bruising around it that hadn’t stopped spreading since, but she could almost forget about it, most of the time. It wasn’t any worse than the pain that still throbbed in her wrist sometimes, anyway.

Her bindings around her chest were soft linen, so they didn’t chafe as the bruise started to spread its way up to her left shoulder—hidden under her layers of clothes.

But the movement of reaching over to undo the clasp of her shawl still made that muscle twinge painfully, and Rayla bit her tongue to keep from crying out. She inhaled deeply through her nose. Where was Stella when you needed her? The cuddlemonkey had gotten good at undoing the clasp for her, the boat having a small sort of shower that Nyx seemed to mostly use as a preening spot. But Stella had been comfortably cradled in Ezran’s arms up on deck, basking in the sunshine, and—

Rayla let out a huff, bracing herself as she reached for the clasp, breathing through the pain as she undid it. She didn’t remember this being so difficult the last time, but the heat or time could be making it worse. And this had to get done. The boys had given her privacy to ‘clean up’ but they wouldn’t be gone forever, and she couldn’t let them see her like this. Tears were still forming in her eyes when she let the shawl fall to the floor, but at least it was already done.

She was about to start working on the clasps of her tunic next, and the bindings wouldn’t be too bad, but—

The floorboards creaked, her ears twitching before she’d fully turned to who had stepped into the doorway. “Rayla?”

read the rest on AO3

#rayllum #tdp fic #raayllum #fic #mine

[raayllum]

4x01 / 5x01

#and then even when soren tells him he doesn't need to worry callum gets big mad lmao #rayllum #katolis boys #4x01 #5x01 #snake boi callum #arc 2 #s4 #s5 #personal fave #tdp #like u can't understand soren and callum tbh if you're not like. soren was unfair to callum growing up #and callum is going to be a lil unfair to soren for a good decade of their adult lives tbh #(i think fatherhood esp if they had that in common would melllow him out) #and it's not like an issue it's just. a bond difference

[thatartiststudios999]

Finally got another Snake Boi Callum Week fic for you, but it's shorter tho, sorry, but I'll try my hardest to get another one out for you soon, but no promises

Enjoy for now!

Prompt: High Mage/But Rayla Was In Trouble

There's A Cruel Ice In My Veins (And It Melts When I See You)

It was supposed to be a peaceful communion between Katolis and elven representatives, including Rayla's parents.

It, in fact, did not turn out that way

...

With a last, frantic look around, Callum turned and sprinted down the corridor, his heart hammering in his chest. He had to find Rayla. Nothing else mattered.

As he rounded a corner, he came face-to-face with a guard, one of the rebels. Callum didn’t hesitate. He grabbed the man by the collar, pushing him against the wall.

“Where is she?” Callum demanded, his voice dangerously low.

The guard sneered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Callum’s eyes darkened. He could feel the anger boiling inside him. He pulled the man closer, then slammed him back into the stone with a sickening crunch.

“Tell me where she is,” Callum growled, tightening his grip.

Continue on AO3

#rayllum #tdp rayla #tdp callum #snake boi callum #snake boi callum week 2.0 #my fic #tdp fic #finally #feels good to post this #hope you guys enjoy this #thatartist rambles #kinda?

[jedi-lothwolf]

Whumptober Day 6: Mind Control/Forced to Hurt Someone Else

Fandom: The Dragon Prince

Warning: Violents

Summary: Callum gets possessed by Aarovose on the worst day, his aunt's wedding.

  Callum knew there was a reason he told Rayla to kill him if Aaravos took control of him again. He knew that if it were to happen, someone would get hurt. So it should be him.

    He thought he would be safe at his aunt's wedding. It was a beautiful outdoor venue and the weather was perfect. Callum was so happy for Amaya and he was so excited to see her happy. The day was supposed to be one of the happiest days of her life.

    Ezren and Zym spread flowers down the aisle. Rayla sat next to Callum. "I'm sorry I'm late" she whispered.

    "It's okay" he responded. He pulled a tiny hand held mirror out of his pocket so that she should finish her hair.

    "You're the best." She tied two braids together and put them in a bun. She gave his a thumbs up when she was done.

    Katolis's wedding march started to play. Soren had learned to play piano while Corvus played the Violin. They sounded good together.

    Amaya appeared in the doorway and everyone stood. Gren walked with her. He was so excited when she asked him to walk her down the aisle. Her dress was white with blue accents. It was long but not overly flowy. She had a crimson orchard in her hair.

    Ezren was sitting with Callum and Rayla now. Zym was by the king and so was Bait. Amaya got to the altar and smiled. She looked so excited.

    As a Janai appeared a Xadian wedding march was played, orchestrated by a few of her friends. Her dress was in traditional sunfire elf tradition, consisting of mostly reds and oranges. It was floor length and had a black flower lace.

    She arrived at the altar, smiling. Gren already looked like he was going to cry. The ceremony started. Rayla awkwardly handed the hand held mirror back to Callum as the vows finished.

    He took the mirror, face up and looked down at it so he could put it in his pocket. He didn't trust himself not to drop it while trying to put it away.

    A familiar face appeared in the mirror and Callum tried to shove it away. The Startouch elf just had to make his presence known.

    "Does anyone object to this marriage?" The priest asked.

    "I do." Callum could think straight anymore. He watched his body stand and watched the horror on his aunt Amaya's face as she watched him be the only person to object.

    It wasn't Callum's voice that spoke, just his mouth. But how could she know that? Rayla stood quickly, as did Ezren. Soren jumped out of his seat. Corvus, confused, stood with him.

    "Aaravos" Rayla grimaced.

    Amaya looked at her wife then at Gren. 'What's going on?' She signed. 

    "I don't think that's Callum." Gren looked back at the scene in front of them.

    Callum's body moved from where it stood and into the aisle. He smiled as he raised a hand up to fight. "Fulminis." Aaravos detected the attack at the altar.

    As lightning shot from his fingers, Amaya grabbed Janai and got them both out of the way. Gren moved off to the side and went to make sure that both brides were alright.

    Callum couldn't stop himself from being used as a tool for the awful man. He tried as hard as he could. It felt so surreal. He was conscious of everything that he was doing but couldn't stop it. He could do nothing but watch as his body and his magic tore apart the people he loved.

    All he could do was try to fight and hope Rayla remembered what they talked about. The mage knew he would rather die right here, right now, then be a danger to the people he loved.

    "Callum!" Ezren yelled, "come on, fight it! You can beat him!"

    Aaravos pulled the puppet strings. He brought Callum's body closer to his brother and grabbed him by the neck. He pulled him up and threw him to the ground. The little boy staggered standing up.

    'No' Callum thought. 'This can't be  happening.'

    Soren grabbed his sword from his side and drew it. He hated the thought that he may have to hurt Callum but he knew that if it came down to it, he'd rather it be that way.

    Everyone was confused. "What's happening to him?" Gren translated for Amaya.

    "He's possessed!" Rayla answered.

    "By?!" Janai asked as she went to grab her and Amaya's swords. Two had been made; a sunforge blade for Amaya and a blade carefully crafted by the king's most trusted swordsmiths. Gren started to help people get away from the venue. It was the best thing he could do since he carried no weapon.

    "Aaravos! He's a Startouch elf!" Janai's blood ran cold. She already knew what it was like to lose people to him, she didn't want Amaya to as well.

    "Callum!" Callum could hear Soren call out for him but he couldn't answer. He tried but all it seemed he could do was try. Was it ever going to be enough? Trying?

    Soren handed Corvus his sword quickly. He tried to run up to Callum but Rayla stopped him. "Whatever you're going to do, don't."

    He pulled away from her anyway and went up to Aaravos. Curious, the Startouch elf let it slide. Soren grabbed the shoulders of the boy and looked into his eyes. "You're one of the strongest people I've ever met, if anyone can stop him it's you, Callum. I believe in yo-" Aaravos had heard enough.

    He grabbed Soren's neck harshly. "It's sweet, what you're trying to do" he chuckled. "It's too bad really, you won't survive long enough to see if it works."

    From behind Amaya grabbed Callum and tried to pull him off of the knight. At the same time Rayla pulled Soren away. Scratches were left on the man's neck.

    No one wanted to hurt Callum. It felt wrong, not going to fight the threat but the threat was, well in Callum's body. At the moment all they wanted was to get him free of Aaravos's control. They knew he was hurting.

    The elf struggled against Amaya. He kicked at her and scratched her. His heal cought part of her dress and the end ripped some. Swinging his leg around the general's he tripped her. It took them both down but from there he got away from her.

    Angry at her for stopping him from killing the useless golden boy, he stomped on her knee. "Let's see if that slows you down." Janai came over to her. She raised her sword towards Aaravos, wishing that hurting him didn't mean hurting Callum.

    She struck quickly. Aaravos moved back, only taking a slash to the arm. He chuckled, "Fulminis." The lightning course through her body and she fell to the ground. Amaya checked on Janai and as he went to kill the two Corvus stepped in.

    Aaravos walked to Corvus. The tracker held Soren's sword tight, frightened by the thought of what he may have to do.

    "I'll take that." The elf went to kick Corvus but he moved. He attempted to fight him, to grab the sword so he could do some real damage; but the man was able to keep it away from him.

    So when Rayla came up behind him, he decided that her weapon was good enough. She didn't expect him to grab it out of her hands.

    Callum always had a pretty smile. Today, it was creepy, almost crazy. He took the knife and faced Corvus again. He stabbed him in the side.

    Corvus cried out in pain. As the knife was pulled from his body he fell to the ground. Soren, who had been informing Gren of what was going on, rushed to his side. "It's alright, it's okay" he whispered.

    The tears falling from Callum's eyes became more frequent. He had to stop him. Corvus was important to him, he couldn't just let Aaravos kill him. He had to do something.

    Soren's words hurt. He knew the two were close but it only hit him now just how close they were. The knight had pulled him into his lap. He ran his hands over his head and tried to keep him calm. His other hand put pressure on the wound.

    Rayla grabbed Callum. She pulled him away from the two and got ready to fight. Aaravos didn't mind having to wait. He attacked Rayla, paying no attention to the danger that his vessel might be in. He pushed her away and slammed him foot into her stomach. She cried out and slipped on a flower.

    Bait tried to reach Callum. He approached him and shown a bright yellow. Aaravos kicked him off to the side.

    Ezren ran up to Bait. He was joined by Zym. He made sure he was okay. As Aaravos walked towards Rayla, he stepeed in. He looked fearless as he stood in front of his brother's body.  "Callum! I know you're there!"

    He held Rayla 's knife and stepped closer to Ezren. As his arm rose to take the boy's life, Callum collapsed. His brother caught him and placed him on the ground.

    He had finally broken free of Aaravos's control. After what felt like an eternity he sat up and looked around. Corvus had been stabbed, Janai shocked, Amaya had a broken leg, Ezren looked like he was in pain, Bait was still laying on the ground, Soren's neck looked awful, and Rayla was just now getting up. What had he done?

    The king opened his arms, inviting Callum to hug him. The mage leaned into his brother and started crying harder then before. He apologized over and over and Ezren kept trying to tell him it wasn't his fault

    Gren returned with a doctor. He looked at the sight in front of him. "Oh boy" he whispered. At least no one was dead.

    This would be a wedding to remember.

#whumptober 2023 #the dragon prince #mind control #forced to hurt someone else #whump #tdp callum #tdp rayla #aaravos #tdp amaya #fuck aaravos and his homophobia #Ezren #Soren #soren x corvus #janai #amaya x janai #wedding #possession #possessed callum #tdp #dragon prince #tdp gren

[numptypylon]

As high quality screenshots as I could manage from the new clip.

So many new questions!

1) Why is Callum not with them? Rayla doesn’t look worried or upset, so… if he cursed her out and noped out on his own, she’s taking that well.

2) why is Zubeia ALSO in Katolis? The moon is full, like in the clip where moonshadow form Rayla arrives in Callum’s quarters, indicating it’s the same night? Zubeia presumably flew her to Katolis to get the boys? But then… why is Callum not with them?

3) Is that dark magic girl an ancestor to Callum and Ezran, through Harrow’s line?

4) the last transition I just love, nothing deeper, there 😄

Kinda proud of a few of my Aaravos lore predictions from Down to Earth (my speculative S4-5 fanfic), ngl 😄

#rayla #ezran #the dragon prince s4 #the dragon prince #tdp #tdp s4 spoilers #meta

[theredhairedmonkey]

As the sheer panic resulting from this post continues, I'm gonna give a full rebuttal to the counterarguments I've seen (fairly, I promise), but first I just want to point out how Callum is indeed judged on a curve that no one else is judged. In the scene where he's held captive by Finnegrin, there is no choice he could make that isn't characterized as morally dubious:

Not give in to Finn's threats about Rayla: Morally dubious, he's putting his abstract moral principles over an innocent life.

Give in to Finn's threats about Rayla: Morally dubious, he's putting Rayla's life over Domina.

Give in, but lie about an ingredient to make the spell unworkable (i.e. what probably actually happened): Morally dubious, he's putting Rayla's life over some unnamed innocent people's lives (because Finnegrin would never have killed people otherwise /s)

Posts like this make it very clear that no matter what Callum does, he's morally dubious. But just as "if everyone is super, no one is," if every choice is potentially immoral, no choice is because morality is impossible. If Callum is in a hostage situation where someone is going to die unless he takes extreme measures that are themselves immoral, morality loses meaning. When faced with only potentially immoral choices, choosing the least-bad option becomes necessary, even if questionable by absolute morality.

That is, of course, unless we treat Callum like anyone else and don't just hold him responsible for the choices committed by others. Just as how Ezran isn't morally dubious for giving Katolis to Viren on a silver platter, Callum isn't dubious because the information he gives Finn would motivate him to kill others. That of course is entirely on Finnegrin, but because the snake boi crowd are motivated to find fault in everything Callum does, he's held responsible for the actions of others.

#tdp #the dragon prince #rayla #callum #rayllum #ezran #finnegrin

[fandomsandflyingstingrays]

Happy birthday, Rayla!! I couldn’t let the day go by without writing something, since we’re all very worried about her, so have a one-shot about some other people who are just as worried. 

Ethari puts more effort into the cake than he has into any of his meals for more than a year. He crushes the berries to nothing but juice and stirs the batter until it’s completely smooth, bakes it to perfection and frosts it flawlessly. It might be the most perfect confection he’s ever made.

He sets the table just as carefully: three plates, three forks, three glasses, all shining and straight at their places. And the whole time, his mind is detached from his body. He doesn’t think about what he’s doing; just knows that he has to. It’s only when he sits down, when he feels the true, crushing weight of the empty chairs, that he begins to question himself.

How did he think this would turn out? What comfort did he think he would get from setting his table for a shadow and a ghost? Did he think he would eat Rayla’s cake himself, piece by piece, until there was nothing left for her but crumbs? Did he think decorating the room and making her favorite dessert would make her come home?

He shoves the cake away and puts his face in his hands, fighting the tears that bite at the corners of his eyes. He was so hopeful when the Silvergrove received word of the battle of the Storm Spire, when they realized Rayla’s role in reuniting the dragon prince with the queen and undid her banishment. It didn’t change the hungry, all-consuming emptiness he felt every day without Runaan— but he thought, at least, it would help to have another voice in the house.

But Rayla never came home, and two weeks before her sixteenth birthday, he received word that she’d dropped off the face of the continent entirely. And now, more than a year with no word, no—

Ethari freezes.

A knock. So faint he could almost believe he imagined it. 

No word, he thinks again, but the words feel like a lie now, and he waits, breathless— 

There. He hears it. Someone is rapping at his door.

Rayla—

His chair clatters to the ground as he shoves it back, sprinting out of the dining room and through his workshop, throwing open the doors to reveal— 

Not Rayla.

But he’s so startled that for a moment he forgets to be disappointed.

The boy looks different than he remembers. His once-flat brown hair sits in ruffled spikes across his head, which no longer holds the twigs he used to imitate horns. He wears the fine fabric of a noble, no leaves stuffed into his coat. Ethari knows who he is now, and for the life of him, he can’t fathom why the boy is on his doorstep.

“Hi,” the boy says with a small wave. “I’m Callum…”

The High Mage, Ethari thinks, the prince of Katolis, the brother of King Ezran—

“…Rayla’s boyfriend.”

The words freeze Ethari in place, and he thinks over his brief interaction with the boy more than a year ago. How close he stood by Rayla as they looked into the heartbloom pond. How she leaned against him as they road away. It makes sense, he thinks. Rayla always forged her own path. How could she fall for anyone less than a human prince?

Callum runs his fingers through his hair, clearly nervous. “May I come in?” He asks.

Ethari nods, still too shocked to offer anything more than basic courtesy. “Of course.” He steps aside so that Callum can enter the workspace and, without thinking, leads him into the dining room. Only when he glances back at the prince does he realize how it must look; three empty places at a house occupied by one and a single, uneaten cake.

“I’m assuming you know it’s her birthday,” he says.

Callum nods. “We actually did the same thing last year at the castle,” he says. “My brother had our baker made a cake, and Ezran and I bought gifts, just in case.”

Ethari relaxes. Between the anecdote and the pain in Callum’s eyes when he tells it, he can see how much he loves Rayla, how much he misses her. It’s a relief to be with someone else who still feels her absence so keenly.

“I suppose that sort of gesture makes more sense in a castle,” he says. “I’m not entirely sure what I was planning to do after I made the cake, I just knew I needed to.”

“Moonberry, right? Her favorite.”

“That’s right.” Ethari gives him a small smile. “Would you like some?”

Callum nods, settling into a chair, and Ethari cuts them both a slice. He expects the cake to be cloying on his tongue, but it slides down easily. It’s the act of sharing it with someone else, he figures. It turns it from the futile gesture of a grieving man to a celebration of a missing daughter. It makes it feel like it has a point.

Callum’s eyes widen as he takes a bite. “This is amazing. Do you want to come back to the castle with me? You could easily make royal chef.”

Ethari chuckles, appreciating the clear effort he’s making. “Thank you, but no. Humans eat too much bread for my taste. No challenge at all to make.”

“Rayla would agree with you there.”

They’re both silent for a moment, the clicking of their forks against their plates the only sound in the room, before Ethari sorts out his thoughts enough to speak again.

“Why aren’t you at the palace?”

Callum sighs heavily, gazing at his plate. “It was just… too hard. My brother understands, but everyone else… they keep talking about how I need to move on. I knew if I was there when today came, they would all try to distract me, and I didn’t want that. I wanted to be somewhere I could feel close to her.”

Ethari nods. “I wish I had more to offer you. But I haven’t heard anything from her.”

“I didn’t expect you to,” Callum replies, his expression dim. “Ezran has contacts in every part of the continent looking for her. If she resurfaced, we would have heard. I just… I just wish I could know she was at least okay.” His voice breaks on the last word as he hammers his fist into the table. 

Ethari draws a breath. “Maybe I do have something to offer.”

Callum’s eyes fly to him, surprise replacing his devastation.

Ethari pushes back his empty plate and stands. “Come with me.”

He leads Callum down the side of the house to where the pond stands, serene and beautiful as ever. As soon as Callum catches sight of it, he breaks into a run. Clearly Rayla told him the significance of the pool.

“All this time— I never thought to check—“ Callum braces himself on the rim and leans over. “Rayla’s flower,” he whispers.

Ethari comes to stand beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “She’s still alive.”

The boy doubles over, almost falling into the pond in his relief. He takes huge gulps of breath, as if he’s just finished a marathon, and several moments pass before he can speak.

“Thank you.” He says, and when he turns to Ethari he can see that his eyes are wet. “Thank you so much.” “Thank you.” Ethari spreads his arms to indicate the pool. “Thanks to you and Rayla, I haven’t had to enchant a single bloom since she left.”

He respected Runaan’s work, but it didn’t mean he didn’t resent every time Runaan left home, all the hours he spent watching and waiting beside the pool with his heart in his throat. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t resent the cycle of war that bred Runaan’s work in the first place— that took Runaan from him, and took Callum’s guardian from him. The cycle that Callum is breaking before his eyes because of his clear devotion to an elven girl. 

“I’m glad.” Callum lets out the words in a breath, and when he draws another one, it’s short and determined. “I will find her,” he promises. “I’ll never stop searching.”

Ethari squeezes his shoulder. “I believe that. When you find her, tell her I haven’t stopped waiting for her.”

“I will.”

Callum turns to set off down the path, the straight arrow of his back and the set of his shoulders so different from the uncertainty that plagued him when he walked through Ethari’s door. It’s the same steely determination that lived in Rayla, and in Runaan, even if it inhabits a gentler vessel.

“Callum,” Ethari calls, and the boy stops.

“Come by next year. Wherever Rayla is, you’ll have a place here.”

Callum hesitates, and Ethari wonders if he’s finally overstepped— if he’s finally crossed the silent line Runaan drew between them all that time ago. But when Callum turns, he’s smiling, the first genuine smile Ethari has seen from him, and Ethari realizes he shouldn’t have been surprised. Callum crossed that line for Rayla, after all. Of course this boy, so much wiser than his predecessors, so much more hopeful, would cross it for her family too.

“Thank you,” he says. “I will.” He turns and begins his descent into the village, and Ethari leans against the pool. The ache will come again, he knows— but for this moment, he basks in the sweet relief of the smallest ember of hope. 

#the dragon prince #the dragon prince spoilers #tdp spoilers #tdp callum #tdp rayla #tdp ethari #tdp runaan #rayllum #ruthari #tdp #ray rambles #ray writes

[foggytastemakercreation]

A Child is Freer Than a King

As Ezran's council gathered in the throne room following Aaravos's defeat, the room erupted in jubilant celebration. After years of struggle, the Startouch elf’s reign of terror had finally come to an end.

King Ezran embraced his council members with infectious enthusiasm, pride shining in his youthful features. “We did it!” he grinned.

Soren clapped his sister Claudia on the back, pride shining in his eyes that she had finally chosen the right path.

"We couldn't have done this without you," the young king said. "Your magic helped turn the tide."

Claudia shifted, wariness creeping into her smile. Amidst all the camaraderie, she was distinctly aware of the guards flanking the room, hands on their weapons. She caught the council members shooting her cautious glances when they thought she wasn't looking. One good deed could not erase her past sins.

Then Soren swept his sister up in a rib-cracking hug. “You really came through!” Claudia basked in her brother’s whole-hearted acceptance and Callum’s fond smile, the Corona of the Heavens humming with energy on his head. For now, she was home.

As Soren plopped down beside her, regaling her with an exaggerated re-telling of the battle, while Callum reminisced fondly about their adventures, she allowed herself to take in the unconditional love of her brother and dear friend. For this moment at least, she felt the flickering sense of home.

In the midst of the cacophony, Claudia noticed Callum slip away, almost unobserved. As he eased open the balcony doors, a gust of night air swept into the room, making the torches sputter. Frowning, Claudia watched him step outside, his figure receding into shadows.

Moments later, Ezran detached himself from the party. Claudia marked the way the young king's cheeks were still round with baby fat, so at odds with the anxiety deepening the creases on his forehead. With a discretion belying his years, Ezran made his way towards the balcony, shutting the doors behind him.

Claudia edged closer, straining to glimpse the two through the narrow glass panes. Callum stood with his back towards her, hands spread beseechingly while Ezran paced agitatedly. Even with the doors closed, Claudia could see Ezran's lips shape around urgent words, his expressions fluctuating rapidly between confusion, anger and distress.

Finally he stepped towards Callum, throwing his arms fiercely around his brother. Claudia saw Ezran's slim shoulders shake with muffled sobs. Callum held the boy king tightly, bowing his head over Ezran's own in profound grief. Watching the two, Claudia felt her stomach knot itself into tense coils. This picture of vulnerability was at complete odds with the euphoria behind her.

She wrapped her arms around herself, goosebumps rising over her skin despite the room's warmth. Something was terribly wrong. What had passed between the princes to transform joy into sorrow? A premonition gripped Claudia that whatever Callum had told Ezran would change everything.

After Ezran departed, Claudia joined Callum outside.

"So..." she began lightly, "What was that about?"

Callum turned to her, and for the first time, she saw the High Mage he had become – standing aloof, hands behind his back, jawline hardened. But his eyes were still kind. "It's good to be on the same side again," he said.

Claudia let out a relieved chuckle. "Who would've thought after...everything. But I'm glad too."

A shadow crossed Callum's face. "Claudia, you have tremendous talent. I think it's time you used your magic to help people - starting with Katolis. Which is why..." He listed his staff and held it out to her. Claudia's throat tightened.

"That staff belonged to that Sky mage on the Storm Spire," she whispered. “Didn’t it?”

Callum's gaze was solemn. "Yes. When you and Ibis fought, it set in motion a series of terrible events," he said quietly. "After Terry took Ibis's life, this staff was given to me. But with the Corona of the Heavens, carrying a Sky mage's staff kinda feels redundant."

He ran his fingers over the intricate runes carved into the ancient wood. "I understand now that the past cannot be changed. But the future holds possibility for healing."

Callum held the staff out to Claudia, palm upturned in offering. "Your actions helped cause Ibis's death. But maybe, it feels right that you take his staff, and use it to help fix what was broken. As the new High Mage of Katolis.”

Claudia took an involuntary step back, gripping her elbows. "Callum, I can't. What I did-"

"-Is in the past," he finished gently. "You've been given a second chance. Make the most of it."

She accepted the staff with trembling hands. A bittersweet tide of hope, regret and purpose washed over her. She would spend her life striving to become worthy of this honor.

"Thank you," she rasped.

Callum placed a hand on her shoulder. "There's no one else I trust with this duty. Or my brother."

Puzzled, Claudia opened her mouth to ask him what he meant, but Callum continued.

"Helping Ezran has been the honor of my life. But now destiny lies elsewhere." His gaze turned distant, as though beholding visions only he could see.

Before she could summon any response, Callum gave her shoulder a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "I know you will rise to meet this challenge," he said softly.

Then he turned and slipped back inside the throne room, leaving Claudia alone on the balcony with turbulent thoughts swirling through her mind, the newly bestowed staff resting heavy in her hands.

***

Rayla noticed Callum's uncharacteristic silence as he led her by the hand through the winding halls. His strides were purposeful but his shoulders slumped under some unseen weight. Puzzled, she searched his downcast eyes but found them opaque.

At last, they reached the secluded balcony by Ezran's chambers. The moon bathed Callum's features in gentle light as he turned to face her, sharp shadows carving hollows under his cheekbones. Apprehension gnawed at Rayla's insides.

"What's going on?" she asked, forcing brightness into her tone. "We won! Aaravos is finished, the war ended, so now..." She faltered briefly before continuing hopefully, "Now we get to start our life together, just like we always talked about. Right?"

Callum was mute, staring at some distant point beyond her shoulder. The silence swelled between them until Rayla could bear it no more. She reached out and turned his face toward him, meeting his anguished eyes with her own growing alarm.

"It...it is over," she faltered, "isn't it, Callum?"

His face was all the answer she needed. Rayla's hand dropped away as foreboding and grief clenched her heart in icy fingers. Something was terribly wrong.

Callum stared down at the land stretching endlessly before them. "I wish I could say it was." He lifted his eyes to meet hers, agony etched on his features. "When we finally struck down Aaravos, the other Startouch elves didn't see it as a happy ending. They were always terrified of humans possessing magic, and now this proved they could actually be harmed by us."

He relayed what the Celestial elf Astrid had confessed to him. That the Startouch elves would perceive Aaravos's defeat as a threat to their power, and seek to snuff out the human race's magical abilities.

"The Starscraper needs a king," he finished softly. "Someone has to protect Xadia from whatever comes next. And thanks to this..." He raised the glowing Corona of the Heavens circled around his head. "...that duty falls to me now."

"How long?" Her voice caught on a sob, as she surely knew the answer in her heart. "How long will you be gone? A few weeks? A month?"

Callum wrapped her in his arms, tears streaking both their faces. "The duties of a Starscraper king is everlasting," he whispered. "As eternal as these skies stretching vastly beyond sight or measure...” He pulled back to gaze into her eyes, love and sorrow intermingling. “But so too will my love for you endure, until stars rain down from the heavens bringing us together once more."

Their kiss was long and achingly sweet. Then Callum stepped back, magic already swirling around him. He spared one last smile for Rayla. "May we meet again among the stars."

“I love you, Callum,” she whispered. “So much.”

Blazing light erupted from Callum's back, unfolding into glorious white feathery wings that fanned high above his head. Their radiance washed his features in otherworldly brilliance as he rose slowly into the air. He looked like one of the celestial immortals of myth come to life.

Heart cracking, Rayla stretched one hand upwards as if to pull him back down through the force of her yearning alone. But Callum hovered just out of reach, sadness and resolve etched on his face.

"I will always love you," he vowed, his words resonating with the weight of prophecy. Then he turned his gaze to the horizon beyond. His wings swept down powerfully, launching him skyward.

Rayla watched through a veil of tears as he flew higher, like a fallen star returning to the heavens. Just as he crossed the moon's glowing arc, the air before Callum shimmered like a heat mirage. A portal appeared, golden light spilling from its depths.

Callum arrowed towards that radiant gate. Right as he entered its event horizon, he glanced back one last time. Across the infinite distance, his eyes found Rayla's.

In them, she read eternity - endless love entwined with unimaginable grief. Then, between one heartbeat and the next, he vanished as the portal collapsed in on itself with a sound like a sigh.

Ezran hurried to Rayla’s side but the elf did not appear to register his presence. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs as she gazed up and up. Ezran followed the desolate track of her eyes. Somewhere past the blanket of clouds and darkness, the stars were emerging in a glittering trail leading towards infinity.

The journey to the Starscraper passed in a blur. When Callum landed at the tower’s peak, weariness and heartache weighed on him like the heavy mantle of kingship he was destined to bear alone.

As he sank onto the opalescent throne, the Corona hummed with energy, synced to the rhythms of the cosmos surrounding him. From his lonely perch he could see the world below bathed in dusky shadows, the lights of Katolis castle flickering like earthbound stars.

Callum wondered if Ezran was watching the night sky, taking comfort in the light of his brother’s new home glowing down at him. He wondered if Rayla was tracking the constellations, taking solace in the reminder of Callum’s enduring love.

“A child is freer than a king.” King Harrow imparted those words to Callum on his last day alive. An observation, he had thought, but now knew it was also a warning. One last burden for Callum to shoulder when the time came.

As the stars spun slowly overhead, their glittering forms cold and remote, Callum grieved all he had lost. His home, his love, his freedom. The price for being the guardian of Xadia.

Yet as loneliness threatened to overwhelm him, King Callum gazed upward through eyes blurred with tears. Somewhere across the infinite gulf of space, the constellations watched over those he cherished under the same boundless sky. The power of love and hope shining eternally as the beacon to guide his reunion with those he loves.

(Honestly felt inspired after reading The Snake by @jelzorz, so gotta give credit where credit is due 😊 ).

#callum #claudia #ezran #soren #rayla #rayllum