Chapter Text
Epilogue
“I can’t believe you are moving all the way to Xadia,” Ezran said as he helped Callum pack.
“It’s not like I’m moving to another planet, Ez,” Callum told him for the hundredth time.
“But still, that’s really far away,” Ez said for the hundredth time.
“You and your wife get to spend time together all the time,” Callum pointed out. Ezran and Ellis had married last year in a grand ceremony at the family home. “I only get to spend the night with my wife on birthdays and holidays. Other than that, it’s stupid video calls that are either too late for her or too early for me.” Callum and Rayla had married in Silvergrove during the Winter Festival after their engagement. For two and a half years they had only had summers and holidays together, and they had to skip last summer due to Rayla’s new job. “Besides…”
“Yeah, yeah,” Ezran said. “I know. Responsibilities and all. Honestly, as much as I hate to see you go, I’m not sure why you didn’t move sooner.”
“Rayla insisted that I finish school first,” Callum said, closing the suitcase. “She’s had Runaan and Ethari with her. They’ve been super supportive.”
“I just can’t believe you got married before Claudia.”
“Well, her and Terry still think they’re teenagers. Maybe when they grow up.”
“I think she was more jealous of you getting married than she was when Soren got married.”
Soren’s wedding to Stephanie had been a year after Callum and Rayla had gotten married. They made a good couple, already with two kids. Soren as a dad, the thought would have scared Callum a few years ago, but Soren turned out to be nothing like Viren, probably taking his father as an example and doing the exact opposite. He spoiled his sons with attention, already claiming they could catch better than any receiver he had ever worked with. Motherhood suited Stephanie as well, a doting mother if there ever was one. They had even named their first son after Callum in honor of him introducing them. Though, they called him Cal to Callum’s chagrin. But, at least it had meant Soren stopped calling him that.
“How long is the flight?” Ezran asked.
“A few hours, but I’ll probably sleep through most of it. I want to be alert when I get there,” Callum answered. He had become experienced at flying east over the past three years. “Here you go.” Callum pulled out the keys for his car. The same one he had driven the entire time he was in college. “Tell your wife to take care of it.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Ezran asked. “Have you seen her drive?”
“Hush,” Callum admonished him. “Or I’ll tell Ellis that you said she can’t drive. And, which one of you got that ticket last year?”
“We don’t talk about that. It was your fault anyway,” Ezran said.
“You keep saying that,” Callum said. “I’m still not sure how it’s my fault.”
“You are the one that needed to make an emergency trip to the airport and couldn’t wait one more hour for a later flight.”
“Would you have waited?” Callum asked.
“Probably not,” Ezran said.
Callum gave him a stern look.
“Okay, definitely not,” Ezran confirmed. “But you made it on time even with the ticket.”
“Which means you didn’t need to speed to get me there.”
The two brothers looked at each other before they both started to laugh. Callum pulled his brother into a hug. “You and Ellis should come out to the Summer Festival this year.”
“Run around naked in the woods with my brother and his wife? I’m not sure about that,” Ezran said, stepping back.
“Aunt Amaya and Aunt Janai are coming this year,” Callum explained.
“Oh yeah, because seeing my aunts naked makes it even more enticing,” Ezran said, words thick with sarcasm.
“It’s not all that bad,” Callum said. “It’s kind of freeing and relaxing.”
“I’ll talk to Ellis, but I’m pretty sure it’s a pass,” Ezran said.
“Callum?” Harrow asked from the door.
Callum turned.
“Time to go, son,” he said. “You don’t want to keep them waiting by missing your flight.”
Rayla paced impatiently in the terminal. She couldn’t believe Callum was finally coming to Xadia to stay. She hated every time he had to leave over the past three years, regretting each time she had insisted that he stay in Katolis to finish his degree before coming to Xadia to pursue postgraduate studies. She knew it was the right decision, but it didn’t make it any easier to bear. But, he was coming now. Coming home to her. She did all she could to contain her anticipation as she checked the flight board again. His flight was still on time. She checked her phone. It had only been two minutes since she last checked.
“Calm down, little one,” Ethari said from where he sat watching her pace.
Rayla sat next to him. Pulling her leg up on her knee, she couldn’t stop her foot from bouncing. “I can’t help it,” she said. “Except for those stupid video calls, I haven’t seen him since the last Winter Festival.” She had been forced to work most of last summer, being the new recruit on the force, she had to deal with being assigned all the awful assignments the more experienced officers were too busy to handle. It had made it infeasible for Callum to visit as she would hardly be home while he was there. ‘Home’, she thought. She had picked out a house in Silvergrove when Callum and her had gotten married, though until recently she had hardly stayed there unless Callum was in town, electing to stay with Ethari and Runaan instead for the company. She stood up and started to pace again. Ethari shook his head as he began to rock gently. “What?” Rayla asked.
“It’s upsetting,” Ethari said softly, looking down.
Rayla followed his gaze and sighed. “Sorry,” she said, taking her seat again before checking her phone another time. Only another minute had passed. She huffed as she tried to relax back into her seat.
“Nervous?” Runaan asked as he walked up, handing Rayla one of the two cups of tea he carried.
“You think?” Rayla snarked as she took her tea. She sipped the hot liquid, hoping it would calm. It didn’t help. “It’ll just be good to have him here, finally. I don’t want to be doing this without help.”
“What are we? Just the people that eat your food?” Runaan asked, sitting on the opposite side of Rayla, taking a sip from his own tea.
“You know what I mean. It’s not the same.” She tried her tea again. At least it gave her something to do with her hands instead of constantly checking her phone.
“No, little blade, it’s not the same,” Runaan agreed. “But, that’s all over with now. I know it’ll be nice to have your husband around to take care of things when you have to be away for nights.”
Rayla groaned. “Don’t remind me that’s going to happen. I’m pretending it’s not a possibility.”
“Don’t trust him to be able to handle things without you?” Runaan asked.
“It’ll all be new to him. The house, Silvergrove, everything. Sure, he’s been there plenty of times now, but actually living there?” Rayla sighed.
“Callum has been doing a lot better since he started studying Xadian art,” Ethari pointed out, still gently rocking.
“I know,” she sighed again. “I’m really proud of him.” Ralya pulled her phone out to check it again. She took a moment to look at the wallpaper on the display. Her shield with Callum’s paintbrush slanted behind it. Their family icon, combined the night they had gotten fasted. She kept it there because even more than a picture of Callum, it reminded her of him and their union. Even now she couldn’t stop the smile that took over her lips. What she didn’t like was it had only been another two minutes. “Sources, why can’t a plane be early just for once?”
Ethari stopped his rocking as he leaned a bit closer to check the time on Rayla’s display. “You know his plane is in pattern over the airport right now?”
“Not soon enough,” Rayla huffed. Then she jumped to her feet, almost spilling her tea. The arrival board had changed. Callum’s flight had changed from ‘On Time’ to ‘Arrived’.
Callum had slung the backpack that served as his carry on over his shoulder as he disembarked. Through the jetway he wasn’t really watching where he was going, instead letting the crowd direct him as he texted his wife.
Callum: I’m here. Gate D4.
Rayla: We’re right outside.
Callum tucked his phone away and picked up his pace. He was sure they would see him before he saw them so he was preparing himself for however Rayla was going to greet him. But, he was wrong. As he exited the jetway, he saw Rayla in the aisle, bouncing on her toes, scanning the exiting passengers. Callum turned to head over to her.
“There’s my girl,” Callum called out, but not to Rayla. Instead, to the baby that Ethari had been cradling. Trying to keep her calm as her mother freaked out. Callum took the child and cradled her in one arm. “Hello, Skye,” he cooed. “You miss daddy? Daddy missed you!” He kissed the little halfling between her tiny horn nubs. Then turned to Rayla, just in time to catch her as she crashed into his side opposite of their daughter. Callum returned the deep kiss she gave him before turning his attention back to Skye. The child opened her bright blue eyes and reached her five fingered hand out to him. He freed his hand from Rayla and stuck his index finger in her palm allowing her to grip on it.
This was the first time he had seen his daughter in person since the first week after her birth, having agreed with Rayla that he needed to return to Katolis to finish off his last year of graduate studies. Rayla had been curious about her blue eyes, only to have Callum explain to her that it was common for human babies to be born with blue eyes only to change color as they aged. He had even joked with Rayla that she was married to a human, it would probably do for her to learn a thing or two. Looking at his daughter now, he was pretty sure she would end up with her mothers purple eyes, much like the white hair she had inherited from her.
“Good moon, Callum,” Ethari said.
“Good moon, Ethari. Good moon, Runaan.”
“Good moon, Callum,” Runaan replied. “Happy you are here.”
“I’m happy to be home,” he said, hugging Rayla again and giving her another kiss.