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madethisjusttobrowse · 2 months

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In between season 4 and 5 when everyone's back at the castle and Callum's painting the wing runes on his arms. Rayla comes along and finds out he's been painting them on almost everyday for two years and that Ibis has them tattood but Callum doesn't really want that. And so Rayla tells him that the purple marks on Moonshadow elves are temporary and last for about a month but last long the more you put them on (like real-world henna, but these last longer because, magic). She offers to show him how to do so and says he could have saved alot of time if he knew how to do it. Later on there's a slight formal event going on and Callum tells Rayla the runes could be neater and he doesn't know if she should paint them next time, but she has time to improve until them and he can show her how to do better. He asks her to dance but Rayla doesn't know how to waltz and Callum doesn't know Moonshadow dances, but he realizes there is one dance they both know and gets into position to do the Silvergrove key dance and hesitates before Rayla joins and they dance together. And then the next day Rayla does a sneaky and get caught by Opeli and Callum says the rules don't apply to his girlfriend.

But the wing runes are the pain and loneliness and longing that Callum's being carrying by himself for two years since Rayla left. But this is Rayla giving her unspoken apology. But Rayla is saying she should have stayed with him and been the one painting them for two years instead of just him. But each brush stroke is an "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." But now Callum has a physical reminder that Rayla's here. But Rayla has given Callum his wings back. But when Callum dances with Rayla there's gossip all around them because the High Mage and Kaltois' current most desirable bachelor, whose turned down every courtship and never asked to dance other then formalities, is now dancing with this random elf girl. But Callum is saying he doesn't forgive her, yet and Rayla is going to have to work to get there and he's going to have to allow her to, but wants that, he wants that so badly. But Callum hesitates because the Silvergrove dance might make Rayla uncomfortable to be reminded of the people who ghosted her. But its not, and Rayla's hands tremble at the start but are steady by the end and her exhale is too staggered and filled with relief to be anything but a sigh. But when they circle around each other at the end their hands are not just palm to palm but their fingers are intertwined. But everystep is still Rayla coming home but in a different place with different people. But Rayla hasn't had a home to go back to for so long. But Callum is telling her "welcome home." But Callum's extra pissed at Opeli because he just told Rayla the castle can be her home and Opeli is rejecting her from it. But much later on Rayla wakes up Callum at midnight with a happy birthday and tells him to roll up his selves to redo his runes. But Callum got them done a week ago and they still look fresh. But Callum rolls them up and Rayla paints them on and Rayla's still here, and he hasn't painted them himself for a year, and even though they fade, they're basically pernament because Rayla keeps putting them on. But then Callum redoes the marks on Rayla's face as well and her eyes are closed, and he's got her head and complete trust in his hands. But on Rayla's birthday they dance again. But it's not the Silvergrove dance even though the steps are the same.

Because Rayla's home.

#the dragon prince #tdp #tdp callum #tdp rayla #rayllum #fanfic #tdp fanfic #rayla #Tdp post season 4 #Tdp pre season 5 #I show really be doing my work instead #callum x rayla

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raayllum · 5 months

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my crack canon quartet timeline bc @jelzorz did one and it's useful bc there's a decent amount to juggle

as always said quarter is Rayllum, Corvus/Terry, as well as aged up!Soren/Opeli and aged up!Ezran/Claudia. Y'all know the drill by this point

Relevant ages:

Opeli is 11 years older than Soren

Ezran is just under 7 years younger than Claudia

There's a rough alternative in which Claudia stays working with Aaravos for likely longer than she will in canon (aka for another 3-4 years) but for the sake of canon compliancy as its own interesting route...

Post-S7

Operating under the assumption that S6/S7 is wrapped up within a year / it takes about a year for everything to be somewhat stable (and that Opeli survives S6/S7...)

Ezran is 13, Callum is just shy of 18, Rayla is shy of 19, Soren is 21, Claudia is 19, and Opeli is 32.

Claudia and Terry's relationship did not survive all the upheaval, and after a short stay where they're both at the castle as friends, Terry departs for the western Katolis border for a fresh start (and to meet other, more open-minded humans). Claudia and Soren (taking a leave) go to Del Bar to reconnect with their mother and her family; the relationship is established, if perpetually strained.

Callum stays on that year as high mage, but he and Rayla know they'll be happier long term in Xadia / he can do more good studying and teaching the arcana to others by leaving. They move to the Hollow Wood (just magic-y, human friendly, and Moonshadow-y enough for them), a bustling Moonshadow city that isn't far from the Silvergrove (which let Rayla back in, but she likewise wants a fresh start). Callum teaches/studies manual connections to arcanum, and Rayla learns physical therapy and eventually teaches it, apprenticing in the city. They also appreciate the Anonymity that comes with a life away from court/Katolis. [ 20k oneshot detailing this first year away is outlined in my head ] They make sure to visit regularly though

Having a vacant High Mage position, Claudia and Soren come back, and she tentatively takes it up, at first more informally and then in title. (She has the Sun arcanum and it suits her). She brews a lot of remedies to help her body heal from the dark magic use over the years, as well as ones for Ezran as king and Opeli (stuff to ward off carpal tunnel and sore throats from talking a lot). Also plenty of hot brown morning potion. Claudia apprentices with Mavi, the castle physician.

Soren and Corvus start dating (Soren is like 22, Corvus is 24) and Moonshadow elf reintegration at the border starts, particularly in Ellis' town thanks to the Moon Nexus. Upon invitation, she comes to live at the castle as a veterinarian and Lujanne's Moon arcanum protege. Rayla and Callum get married (aged 20 and 21 respectively). Soren asks Corvus (and Opeli) to dance at the wedding

Wanting ultimately different things from life, Corvus and Soren break up a couple years later. Soren is 24 going on 25, and begins to take more notice of Opeli, as Corvus leaves to do more inter-Pentarchy reconnaissance for Ezran at the western border of the kingdom. He flirts with her, half-jokingly, and Opeli flatly shuts him down, and they become closer friends as Barius grows older and less likely to attend council meetings, and with Corvus as a buffer (as Opeli was always closer to him and more like minded)

Ezran is around 15 and strikes up a courtship with Ellis, but it is short lived. They stay friends, he introduces her more formally to Queen Aanya, and the two girls take an interest in each other. Soren (25-26) and Opeli (36-37) become quite good friends, often addressing each other affectionately as Captain and Cleric, respectively, Soren helping her learn how to defend herself (thank you jelly for the headcanon), and sharing snippets of poetry with each other. When Opeli has to travel home after her father's death to help put her estranged family's affairs in order, Soren accompanies her for safety reasons

Ezran is 17, and begins to develop some burgeoning feelings for Claudia, who still sees him as a young friend / more little brother figure. He and Soren go on a trip round the Pentarchy for about half a year for diplomacy reasons, and then come home when he's 18 going on 19. The time away and shifts in looks/personality allows Claudia to start seeing Ezran as more of an adult, but not totally as a love option (yet consciously anyway). Soren suspects there's been a shift on Ezran's end

Terry (24-ish) and Corvus (29-ish) meet at a pub and think the other person looks Strangely Familiar. However, there are plenty of elves and humans of all sorts out here at the borders, especially since Katolis and Duren's western borders open up the rest of the Pentarchy, and more elves are returning to their abandoned Nexuses / travelling to sell wares and help remove the spaces that dark magic previously filled. They become good friends, even if Terry is far more close-lipped about his past, and are dating for a little while before realizing why/how their pasts are intertwined. After a good laugh, some questions, and even more tears, they keep on going

Soren, who is 27, begins flirting more openly with Opeli (38) again. She finds herself surprisingly flustered, although they don't court plainly, it does eventually get there emotionally to the point there's Something going on, but Opeli firmly keeps it in limbo / is convinced that Soren will lose interest (we shall come back to this theme)

Ezran is 21 and helps officiate Ellis' and Aanya's wedding. He asks Claudia to dance; she accepts (under Opeli's hypocritically judgmental eye, tbh) and Soren likewise begins to think there's something persistent there on both sides. Callum and Rayla roll back into the Pentarchy for it and stay for a few weeks afterwards at the Banther Lodge with everyone; Callum is able to be civil with Claudia. He and Rayla (26 and 27) are pregnant with their first child.

Around 22, Ezran confesses to but is turned down by Claudia, who cites that she is too old/broken/damaged for him and that it'll pass, in spite of the fact she's fairly certain she is 1) mutually in love with him and 2) this is permanent on her end, not wanting to ruin his life 'again'.

A few months after, there is an attempt on Ezran's life from a pro-human anti-reunification extremist; Claudia's remedies save his life and the distance between them dwindles further. A concerned Callum and Corvus return from the castle, although Callum is doubly stressed as Rayla is 7-8 months pregnant back at home (the freed from coins in-laws have come to lend some help as well).

It becomes apparent that Claudia and Ezran are courting, quietly, to Opeli and to Soren, although most of the rest of the staff remain oblivious. Claudia is fearful of what everyone will say, and Ezran doesn't want to scare her off, so they keep it a secret. Opeli is greatly disapproving, partially due to the age gap but mostly due to Claudia's history, but Soren steps in to defend his sister and make sure Opeli doesn't spoil their happiness. Unhappily, she backs off

Corvus, visiting in the castle for the first time in a while, notes the changes between both pairs, and also discusses his relationship with Terry to Claudia and to Soren, who are happy for them (if find it mildly weirdly awkward/hilarious that their former partners are together). While Opeli, Soren, and Ezran make a trip to Xadia to go visit Rayllum and the new baby, Claudia goes to visit Terry, and the two renew their friendship properly; she encourages him and Corvus to get married, as Terry is beginning to plan for it

Shortly thereafter, Soren (29-30) and Opeli (40-41) start a physical thing, although Soren knows that it's More than that even if Opeli won't quite say it out loud. She subsequently backs off her disapproval of Claudia and Ezran, leaving the two confused and delighted respectively, although Claudia puts the pieces and respects her brother's privacy. Opeli tries to put up some more distance, fearing she's grown too attached / being quietly jealous when Soren has another woman interested in him, she eventually fesses up and the two are fully a couple. Opeli steps down as High Cleric but remains on the Council

At 23-24, Ezran proposes to Claudia (29-30), who full on panics, and flees to her mother's home in Del Bar. Ezran follows, and Lissa is very dryly aware that the King of Katolis is on her doorstep, but gives the two time to talk and her daughter some marginally helpful advice. A letter from Terry likewise helps. Claudia gleefully, tearfully does accept the proposal and goes back home, even if she's nervous about finally telling Callum (and Rayla's had some suspicions for a while now)

Callum and Rayla comes home for Soren (31) and Opeli's (42) winter wedding and stay a few weeks with their firstborn son, Raeven, who's around 2-3 years old. Rayla is pregnant with their second child. Ezran explains that he and Claudia have been courting for just under 2 years and that he intends to marry her. Callum does not take it well, for a variety of reasons, and it's one of the biggest, if not biggest, arguments the brothers have

Rayla and Callum leave, and the brothers don't speak to each other for 4-5 months, till Rayla needles that he wouldn't want Ez to meet the birth of their baby, and Callum folds and apologizes. He's not happy about it, but it's Ezran's choice and he can't stop him

Soren (32) and Opeli (42-43) are unexpectedly pregnant with twins (Opeli being a future sister-in-law of her king is not something she ever suspected, never mind that her children would marginally be in line for the throne and cousins with said heirs). Claudia and Terry swap ideas for their weddings (because Corvus beat Terry to the proposal punch) even if she's a bit more overwhelmed by a Royal wedding and mildly amused she's still having one, it's just not to Callum the way she'd always assumed it would be when they were young

The Sorpeli twins (Briella, she/her, and Brynn, she/they) are born in spring pretty close to the second Rayllum fanbaby, Juni (she/her). The births both go smoothly. Ezran (25) and Claudia (31) are married.

Callum remains civil but still a bit colder with Claudia until she (now 32) and Ezran (26) are having their first child, and there's complications in the birth/pregnancy due to prior dark magic use. He warms up a lot, seeing first how worried Ez is and how continually loyal/devoted Claudia is to his brother, and the fact they named their baby Sarai II doesn't hurt either. A few years later Claudia and Ezran have their second and last son, Daryenn. They take trips every once in a while (alongside Soren and Opeli sometimes) to go visit Corvus and Terry and their couple of kids as well

Assuming everyone here 1) lives throughout the show and 2) an epilogue doesn't show who anyone else is married to except Rayllum (in which case for Claudia in particular I will have the time of my life writing a Clauderry divorce fic) this is my canon, this is my endgame, no one can take it away from me, Thank You Goodnight

#after the war #post season seven #canon crack quartet #headcanons #claudiez #corterry #castle kids #the gang's all here #text post #long post #mine #consider: getting married and having babies as a form of happy normalcy after all the shit you've been through #can be subversive in a world where you had to fight tooth and nail for that to even be an Option

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ask-ethari-anything · 4 years

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When did you realize you loved Runaan?

One time we met up in the village during Spring Fluff. We’d been courting for a bit, and I could read him like a book. And I had to admit that it was intensely flattering to have such a handsome and skilled elf showing so much determined interest in me. But I wasn’t sure that I really knew him well enough to be sure who he was--aside from, well, his determination to break every weapon he had as an excuse to be near me. That’s very chaotic for someone who’s entire career is shaped around law and order, and I wasn’t sure how that blend really sat in his heart.

And then, Spring Fluff came along. All the Shadowpaw kits and Moonstrider pups and birds and rodents and other furry critters you can imagine, getting a day of their own in the village. Most were newly born or hatched or spawned--because it was spring--and they were all so very adorable! All the elves brought out their little animal families to play outside their homes or take walks through the village with them and make friends.

When I found Runaan that day, he was sitting with great composure, and covered in Shadowpaw kits. They were everywhere--one sitting on his shoulder and gnawing on his side tail, two on his head furrily battling for dominance of his horns, and his whole lap full of wriggling, chaotic fur. It was so sweet! I had to tell him how cute all of them looked--including him. But then I had to ask, because I’d seen him with that Moonstrider pup earlier, “I thought you liked Moonstriders better than Shadowpaws, Runaan.”

And he looked up at me and offered me two kits and replied, “But you prefer Shadowpaws, Ethari.”

I sat down beside him and took the two kits he offered me--because I suddenly didn’t trust my balance. I’d just tipped and fallen right into his eyes, you see. He’d put up with all that chaos for me. Every single bit of chaos he embraced, everything I’d seen him do to get my attention--it wasn’t for him. It was for me. He was making himself uncomfortable because he couldn’t help how he felt, and he had to show me. He loved me that much.

So I sat with him, covered in Shadowpaw babies, and smiled at him with the full Moon rising in my heart. “I love them, Runaan. They’re perfect.” And then I kissed one of them on its fluffy head while gazing into his beautiful eyes.

They widened a little in surprise--adorable--and a faint flush crossed his cheeks. And then he promptly handed me two more kits! As if he could get me to keep talking like that by handing me more fluffy babies.

Well, he could, and I did.

#ask ethari #runaan #ethari #runaan x ethari #ruthari #moonshadow courtship #moonshadow elves #story time #silvergrove #moonstrider #shadowpaw #soft elves #true love

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askclaudiaanything · 4 years

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Rayla is now dating Callum. Your thoughts?

...Okay, I’ve taken some time to read up on moonshadow elf customs. According to customs... oh, they don’t say anything about interspecies courtship. *slams book closed in a flurry of dust* Well then! I’ve got a thing or two to say about that. Callum. Whatever you do, please try researching a little about moonshadow elves yourself. I don’t want you to do something dumb and lose an arm by improperly introducing yourself to her parent(s). And Ms. Moonshadow. Rayla, was it? ...Please don’t kill Callum, okay? I’m not saying that because of stereotyping, I’m just saying that because he’s a bit of a dork (and a bit ...unknowledgeable... about moonshadow culture). I hope you both have a lot of fun together, but remember to always keep *my* primal stone by your side! After all, you always need protection.

#interspecies courtship #rayllum #rayla x callum #rayla #callum #moonshadow elf customs #who knows anything about them #certainly not me #askclaudiaanything #answered ask #claudia answers #claudia tdp #winky winky #don't break her bed Callum

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hoothalcyon · 3 years

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Asexual Ruthari Hc's

they're both demisexual

ethari has punny ace signs and memorabilia primarily relating to crafting and being ace, if you catch my drift

another reason apart from obvious ones that runaan is "the most Moonshadow Moonshadow" and one reason why he's able to keep people an arm's length away is bc he doesn't experience one of the types of pulls towards them that allos do, nor is that even remotely on his radar when he feels regretful for making himself lonely

ethari had assumed that bc assassins were always running the risk of dying and aren't expected to live long, he expects them to enjoy more casual romance and sensual intimacy, so he took a while to respond to runaan's courtship/signs of attraction. he didn't want a fling, and he wasn't sure what runaan wanted, until it became clear runaan wanted commitment, then he could visualize them being together

neither of them truly understand the appeal of sensual intimacy until they get together and experience it with each other

after the show's events and all the trauma he went through runaan's sexual attraction/urge for intimacy disappears. ethari treats this as perfectly normal and okay. he's not disappointed; he loves his husband above what his husband could do with him.

but runaan's own acceptance of his new state was harder for himself to accept than it was for ethari. he felt even more 'broken', and like he was too different from who he used to be. everything is too different. it took a long while for him to accept it

#ruthari #runaan #ethari #ace #asexual #hoot's headcanons #ace ruthari

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iwillhaveamoonbase · 3 years

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Are You Receiving Me Clear?

Post-TTM Callum finds a Startouch elf to help him learn where Rayla is.

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Callum stared at the Startouch elf before him. The woman was ageless and looked at him with eyes that held such wisdom but also a sense of playfulness. Were all Startouch elves like this, he wondered. Lujanne had sent him to Najma to start his quest to find Rayla after he had gone after her. Callum still didn’t understand why she had left him behind, but he couldn’t leave her on her own when there were still people loyal to Viren’s cause out there.

“Are you Najma?” he finally asked. She had gestured him to come in when she had opened her door but they had yet to exchange a word as they had sized each other up.

The woman smiled again, moving her hand to tuck back her white hair that lay under a loose veil. “Yes.” Even her voice portrayed a sense of being far older than even the castle back in Katolis but also as young as a teenager experiencing their first love. “How can I help you, Prince Callum?”

“You…you know who I am?”

“Yes. Word has travelled fast and far of a human prince who can use the Sky arcanum without a primal stone. There has been no one like you in a very, very long time.”

That gave him pause. “Wait, there were others like me? I thought-”

“A handful of select humans were capable of figuring it out before you. I could probably count the number on my hand and I never met them myself.”

“Oh.”

“But that’s not why you are here.” Raising a glass to her lips, she watched him with warm eyes. Callum shifted in the chair she had gestured for him to sit in when he had knocked on her door. “I rarely get visitors, you know. Who sent you?”

“Lujanne.”

“Ah. We met twice. Once when she was starting her mage training and was getting in all kinds of trouble. The second time…well, Lujanne had failed one too many times and was being sentenced to guard the Moon Nexus.”

“I thought,” Callum furrowed his brows and licked his lips, “I thought that it was an honor for talented mages to go guard the Moon Nexus.”

“That’s what they say, but it’s a punishment. There are no other elves around and the Cursed Caldera, until recently, had to be guarded with visions, so little interaction with humans. Also, the only real source of sustenance is grubs.” Putting her chin on her closed fist, Najma observed him for a few moments. “You know how Moonshadow elves put such value on pride, but there’s also a strong element of secrecy and tradition in their culture.”

“Isn’t all of Xadia like that?”

Humming, she nodded her head back and forth. “Yes and no. There’s degrees of it depending on the culture. Tidebounds are more secretive than Sunfires but not as secretive as Moonshadow elves. At least, not intentionally. Startouch elves are more about observing the celestial bodies, science, mathematics, applying it to art and the world around us. Startouch mages have to learn for many years how the universe bends and twists and how to do so to our bidding without breaking the rules of the arcanum. And then there’s time, which doesn’t flow quite as straight as people think it does. It goes backwards and forwards and twists and turns. We cannot control time, but we have to understand it’s place in the universe in order to properly understand the stars.”

Captivated by her words, Callum leaned forward in his chair. “Do you think it’s possible for me to learn?”

“I don’t know. Of the few human mages before you, to my knowledge, they never got star magic. It takes work and theory and it’s a far more applied science than moon magic is, for example.”

“Would you teach me?”

“Is that why you are here?” There was humor in her voice, but also distrust.

“No. My girlfriend, Rayla, is a Moonshadow elf and she left in the middle of the night. We entered the space between life and the other side and she didn’t see people there she thinks were supposed to be. So, she left and only told me she was getting answers. I want to find her.”

“I can do that for you. As for teaching you Startouch magic, I don’t know. We can certainly try, but you will need to study quite a bit before we even attempt star magic.”

“How will you help me find her?”

“I cannot give you an exact location, but I can give you a projection of her by calling on the stars. If your connection is strong enough, as long as you focus on her, you should be able to see her and get a rough idea of where she is. If she is connected to you, she might be able to see you.”

“So, it’s like my body is moving towards her?”

“No, a projection of you. Your body and your spirit will not be moving anywhere.”

“OK. What do we do?”

“Just focus on her. Let me do the rest. Come with me.” Callum followed Najma to a round, empty room. “Focus, Prince Callum.”

“You can just call me Callum. Please.”

She smiled, the twinkle that was ever present became stronger. “Alright. Callum. Focus on Rayla, on your relationship, the good and the bad. Also, don’t be too shocked by what you see.” Callum emptied his mind of everything except Rayla; her smile, her laughter, how crazy she drove him, but also how much he loved her.

He heard Draconic coming from Najma, eyes growing wide as the center of the room grew a bright dot before expanding out. Suddenly, what looked like dust was moving around before swirling and forming spheres of light and colors he would never have guessed were in the sky above him. He heard music, something that sounded like an old instrument he couldn’t place and another he had never even heard before, but in a rhythm he both recognized and knew he had never heard before.

Najma was doing nothing but holding out her hands and watching him. Callum tried to keep his mind focused on Rayla, but the longer time passed, the more he realized he was watching the birth of the universe occur in front of his eyes. The spheres moved and expanded all over the room. Finally, a small blue and green sphere was in front of him. An image about as large as a mirror came forward, cloudy with wavy edges.

There was a forest before zooming forward and he saw her: Rayla. She was leaning on a tree with her arms crossed, glaring at the ground. A hand was on her shoulder, attached to a muscular arm, and what looked like a masculine shape. Callum bit his lip, but stamped down the jealousy welling in his stomach. There were other figures present, off to the side, and Callum could not deny that there was comfort in knowing Rayla wasn’t alone. If she had help with whatever she was trying to find, maybe it would help guarantee she would come back to him.

He felt a breeze ruffle his hair and his lips parted, holding his hand out as he whispered Rayla’s name. To his shock, she looked up. Those lavender eyes he loved so much went wide and he knew she saw him even though no one else in her group seemed to notice. He could see her mouth his name and her hand slowly lifting up to him, as if to grasp his own. Before she could, the image faded and Callum was left with the universe in miniature around him. The projection continued to expand before he saw the spheres exploding and eventually, everything went dim. “That was…incredible,” he whispered.

“I’m assuming you know what that was.”

“The life of the universe.”

“Very good. As I said, Startouch mages can bend and twist the space and magic that the stars give us, but we also have to understand time and space. All things are made up of star stuff, so we can give you visions of the here and now, but we cannot teleport you to someone’s side or even show you visions of the futre. There are limitations. Do you know where she is?”

“Xadia, for sure. I think she’s in Earthblood territory.”

“Will you go after her?”

Callum paused, looking at Najma before looking at his hands. He could have a chance to at least learn about the star arcanum even if he never was able to use star magic and he now knew Rayla was safe. Ezran and Soren had promised him that if they needed him back home, they would contact Lujanne and she would find a way to contact him. “I…I want to be with Rayla, but if she really thinks she needs to do this without me, at least I know she isn’t alone now. I want to learn from you, Najma. Please, teach me about the star arcanum.”

“What if you can’t use star magic?”

“At least I’ll have learned more about magic and the universe we live in.”

“Hmm.” She regarded him for a few moments before finally nodding her head. “I’ll give you a trial period of two weeks. If I don’t like how you act or if you don’t listen to me, I’m kicking you out.”

“Deal.”

--------------------------------

Rayla ignored Liam as he continued trying to flirt with her, focusing on her internal crisis. She had seen a vision of Callum and she knew it had not been her mind playing tricks on her or any of her compatriots. They didn’t know what Callum looked like and none of them were Moonshadow elves. She had come across a band of two Skywing elves and three Sunfire elves a few weeks ago and had joined them on their quest after they promised to help her find Viren. They didn’t know she was the Moonshadow elf that was now famously engaged in courtship with a human prince or that she had been at the Spire. They didn’t ask questions as long as she didn’t ask any either.

‘I promise, I will find a way back to you,’ she whispered in her mind to Callum, wherever he was. ‘Just give me time. I have to do this, for me, for my family, for us. I love you, My Heart, and I am sorry I left you. Please, be safe.’

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If you can guess the song the title is a reference to, I would be amazed. When that particular lyric is used, that's roughly what I think Callum was hearing in the projection.

This fic also has my personal theories on why Lujanne is solo in guarding the Moon Nexus and how Startouch magic works. I believe that Startouch elves are based on the Moors from the Iberian Peninsula who advanced math and astronomy and their magic involves understanding science and how stars work.

#rayllum #the dragon prince #moonbase fics #post-through the moon #through the moon #callum #rayla

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foolsiwillshowthemall · 5 years

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Rayla doesn’t do slow burn.

Random thoughts on Rayllum, heavy with TDP Season 3 spoilers, following.

Rayllum has been the most likely endgame ship among the main characters for a while, which is ironic considering that it wasn’t even planned from the start of the series. The writers just realized midway through Season 2 that the chemistry between the two of them worked out really well. For me, it clicked when Callum was reading the letter from his father, who advised Callum to seek a narrative of love instead of power. It’s not clear if this line was written before or after the writers decided that Rayllum would be a thing, but it does fit perfectly with the love of a human prince and an elven assassin/Dragonguard helping bring peace to the two sides.

However, while I was expecting them to get together, I was expecting it to happen a lot more slowly than it did. Usually in these kinds of shows, they’ll string along the will-they-or-won’t-they dance for as long as possible to build tension, and only resolve it in a season or series finale. We were all expecting a slow burn situation. But in a brilliant bit of character-driven storytelling, just as the existence of the relationship was driven by the chemistry between them, the pace of the relationship was also decided by the characters.

Because Rayla is just not a slow-burn kind of person.

Callum could do a slow burn, easily. At the start of the show, it’s implied that he’s been pining over Claudia for some time. Years, maybe. He just doesn’t have the confidence or any idea on how to progress that relationship. In an alternate universe where the Moonshadow elves never attack, he and Claudia could spend years dancing around each other before finally ending up together. He’d probably also end up apprenticing to Viren to become a dark mage in that alternate universe, so it’s just as well that didn’t happen.

But Rayla isn’t the kind of person to do a slow burn relationship. Rayla makes sudden, life-changing, emotionally driven decisions. Deciding to not kill Marcus after he discovered the assassin team, or deciding to take the Egg to Xadia along with the human princes, or to go and save the downed red dragon from Soren and Claudia. And when she makes these decisions, she acts on them, immediately and decisively. So once she realized that she’s in love with Callum, she’s not going to sit around pining for him or wondering if he feels the same. She’s going to immediately start courting him, Moonshadow elf style.

Admittedly, we have no idea what Moonshadow elf courtship looks like. But we do know that they keep their feelings secret, they’re not supposed to admit to fear or apparently anything else openly. So Rayla’s not going to be ready to openly declare her love just yet. But a lot of her behavior in the first few episodes of Season 3 makes more sense when interpreted as attempted courtship.

Episode 1: Sol Regem. When all else fails, Rayla makes a heartfelt speech praising Callum’s virtues to try and convince Sol Regem to let hum accompany her and Zym into Xadia. It’s totally wasted on Sol Regem, but really we know this speech was meant for Callum. It’s Rayla’s way of letting Callum know how much she likes him, without actually admitting anything.

I suspect that praising someone you like to a third party, where they can overhear, is a common courtship method among Moonshadow elves, as it lets them know you like them without you having to admit any feelings of your own. “I don’t admit to personally having feelings for them, I’m just stating how amazing they are as a fact” is a distinctly Moonshadow-ish behavior, and something that both Rayla and Callum have done for each other.

Also, she keeps his scarf, although unfortunately not past the end of the episode. This comes after they’ve established how strongly it smells of him, because apparently Rayla likes the way he smells.

Episode 2: The Crown. Moonshadow elves are all about concealment and secrecy, so showing somebody a secret place where you played alone as a child is an incredibly intimate and personal step. Rayla might as well have stripped naked in front of him for all that she’s laying her life bare. Fortunately, Callum has responded positively to her courtship so far, although at this point he doesn’t realize that this is what she’s doing. As incredibly empathic and perceptive as Callum is, he’s fairly clueless at figuring out matters of romance, and has no idea that Rayla likes him that way yet.

Episode 3: Ghost. Courtship is going well, so Rayla takes the next step of introducing Callum to her one remaining parental figure and showing him where she grew up. Unfortunately, things don’t go well, as she’s been magically banished and is reminded of how she’s disappointed everyone and was more or less responsible for all of the other members of the team being killed or sealed in coins. Callum tries to comfort her, and we might even have proceeded to the scene we do eventually get in the next episode, but Ethari interrupts them and gives them the means to start seriously traveling onwards again.

Episode 4: The Midnight Desert. Enter Nyx. Nyx is a conman (Con-woman? Con-elf?) who is skilled at reading people. She figures out pretty quickly what’s going on with these two, which is why she makes that teasing comment about whether they need one blanked or two. She’s also smart enough to realize that Callum and Rayla will, given the chance, provide enough distraction to each other for her to slip away with Zym.

It’s in this episode that we get the continuation of the emotional moment interrupted by Ethari. Rayla is wallowing in self-loathing, but Callum comes along and starts praising her virtues. At last, Rayla thinks, the big dumb human has caught on and is reciprocating my courtship. So she kisses him.

Unfortunately, Callum wasn’t actually trying to court her, at least not consciously, so things get all awkward and stuff. Poor Rayla is very confused, as what seemed to be fairly clear signals weren’t what she thought they were. It turns out that Callum does actually like her like that, he just didn’t even realize that it was an option so far, and they probably would have resolved things with a little more talking, but Zym’s been abducted and they have to put the courtship on hold to deal with that.

Ironically, if Callum hadn’t backed down and had been kissing her back right away, Nyx would probably have gotten away freely. Emotional awkwardness saves the day.

Episode 5: Heroes and Masterminds. Zym has been rescued, Nyx has been defeated and then also rescued, and Callum get the opportunity to praise Rayla to someone else in front of here. You can see the surprise and hope on her face as she’s trying to figure out the meaning of this gesture, not wanting to mis-interpret his intentions again. You can also see that Nyx figures out pretty quickly that this speech isn’t for her benefit, as she turns and walks away halfway through it. Rayla still isn’t sure what Callum’s intentions are, but he makes them more clear when he kisses her.

He then gets flustered and tries to back down again, but Rayla knows what the deal is. If she wants the relationship to proceed, she has to take the initiative. Fortunately, she’s more than capable of doing so, and Callum is willing to let her.

So where do things go now? At the moment, we don’t know if there even will be a Season 4. Netflix likes to cancel shows after 2 or 3 seasons, and the internal drama among the creative team at Wonderstorm still might tear the company apart. Personally, I’d be satisfied with the story as it is if it ended here, since the third season wrapped up the initial plot very nicely, but I’ll also happily watch season 4 and any more that they make.

It’s rumored that there will be a timeskip before the next season, and if so then presumably the relationship between Rayla and Callum will only develop further during that time. Although she won’t be able to actually show him around the Silvergrove until the banishment is lifted, and it will probably be a while before they can free her parents from the coins they’re probably trapped within. I think that I speak for many in the fandom in hoping that the writers don’t split Callum and Rayla up for cheap drama, since they’ve been pretty good about not doing that kind of thing so far, and since Rayllum wasn’t even planned for part of the story initially it’s probably not going to be a major driver of the plot. Which is actually kind of a relief, if they can just be a stable couple together while the rest of the plot is going on around them. There’s enough drama happening in the world of TDP as a whole, they can just be the rock that keep each other stable and safe.

It’s also been really amusing seeing the fanfiction sites react to season 3. So many slow burn stories that are now just completely AU compared to how quickly things went in the canon story.

#the dragon prince #tdp #rayllum #tdp season 3 spoilers #rayllum meta #rayla #callum #slow burn #fanfiction

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ask-runaan-anything · 4 years

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Did Lain and Tiadrin tease you when you were courting?

Endlessly.

Well, it wasn’t really endless, but it felt that way at the time. The nice part was that they’d never both gang up on me at the same time. It was always one or the other.

On the other hand, it was always one or the other.

@ask-lain-anything @ask-tiadrin-anything your dedication to my blushing was worthy of its own epic tale.

#ask runaan #runaan answers #moonshadow courtship #moonfam

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tdpholidayexchange · 4 years

Text

(the war is over) and we are beginning

Here is @wordswithdragons gift to @sunflowercandie! Summary: Janai doesn't know much of peace. Neither does Amaya. But maybe, with each other's help, they could learn.

It's a breezy summer day in Lux Aurea when Janai realizes that constant military checkups are no longer necessary. It'd been one of her most rigorous duties as a General — armour, soldiers, patrols, bunk inspection and keeping the forges lit and weapons hot — so important, in fact, it had taken time before her sister had trusted her to oversee it alone.

The war has been over for six months now. With Katolis and Duren the two kingdoms most aligned with the Peace Effort, Janai had felt safe in ordering most of her troops to come back and help Lux Aurea rebuild. Others had stayed at the Breach to help reopen it. The young king of Katolis forges ahead a new world of peace, the brave Moonshadow girl captain of the new Dragonguard with her mage by her side.

Khessa's monument and markers of all those who fell to the Dark Mage's conquest finally finished and gleaming under the eternal sun of Lux Aurea.

Free time is not something Janai is accustomed to. For the past thirty-five years, if she wasn't fighting in the war or training then she was thinking about doing so. She doesn't know what to fill it with, beyond letters. Letters to the other elven leaders (Moonshadow settlements are particularly difficult to find) as Queen Zubeia has asked for her help in negotiating peace on this side of the border. Letters to the Breach, to General... to Amaya.

Something simmers low and warm and light in her chest, at the thought of Amaya. Janai isn't quite sure why — even if she speculates, suspects, dreads, what the truth may be — but if she's being perfectly honest, she tries not to think about it as much as possible. She is busy and has other things to focus on. Or at least, she used to.

Amaya is easy to think of. Easy to smile at, even if it's just upon receiving a letter. The other woman keeps her notified of the goings on at the Breach, the restoration and building. Of letters Janai should be expecting from Amaya's nephew, Ezran, and some of his political squabbles. Moments in the Pentarchy when it doesn't hurt to have the Sunfire Queen throw her weight the tiniest bit more behind Katolis as a firm reminder to Evenere, Neolandia, and Del Bar that neither of their kingdoms are to be trifled with too heavily.

The young king of Katolis is a sweet boy, Janai knows, his older brother of similar calibre. Amaya is lucky to have them and they are lucky to have Amaya.

It's been six months since her sister—the last of her family—passed and it is hardly any easier.

A headache, or maybe grief, threatens to overtake her, as she stands on one of the Inner Sanctum's many balconies overlooking her golden city. She needs a distraction of some kind. Something productive. She wonders if Amaya has been struggling, when her duties die down for the day. Neither of them know much of peace and the younger generation like her nephews had not lived long enough to truly know a future with only war, before hope inspired them to step toward another path.

Perhaps it is time for her to find a new one too, beyond being queen.

"Kazi."

The translator is in Lux Aurea's high library when Janai approaches them from behind. They startle and straighten up, wheeling around. "Your Radiance," they greet, bowing and saluting, "my apologies, I did not hear—"

"Yes," Janai cuts them off. Then becomes awkward. She's used to giving commands as a general, about war, not as queen, about people nearly as much. And she does want this to be a request. She knows that Kazi is busy, especially as more humans and elves must merge the language breach between their peoples. Kazi has been hard at work contributing to Queen Aanya's project. "That is rather the point."

Kazi's eyebrows rise behind their circular spectacles. "Your Radiance?"

"Your..." Garlaf, why can Janai only remember the foolish name Kazi had given it, instead of its proper one? "Finguistics," she settles, gritting her teeth. "How does it work?"

Kazi blinks. They take a tiny step forward. "You wish to learn Katolian Sign Language?"

"I..." Janai snaps her mouth shut. She's won battles. She's won a war. She should not be foolish and... hesitant, about this. She's being silly. "Yes. It seems like a productive use of time."

"Of course, Your Radiance," Kazi says. Then pauses. "Er, would you like to begin right now?"

Janai smooths herself out internally. "Ideally," she says, "but we can re-commune if I have interrupted a portion of your, ah, project."

"I was looking to take a break soon anyway," Kazi replies with a slight smile. "We may begin now if you wish."

Something in her shoulders ease. This conversation was never a battle—at least not with Kazi, but with herself and her pride, perhaps—and she's won it, now. "Yes. That would be my preference."

Kazi fetches a scroll and then comes back to her by the windows and they each take a seat in a chair. Kazi flips open the book and she sees diagrams inside. "For you to practice on your own," they explain. "It will take time to learn."

Janai supposes she has nothing but time now. "That is alright," she relents.

"You are not, by any chance, seeing the General soon, are you?" Kazi asks.

Janai starts. "General?"

"The human. Amaya."

"No," Janai says, a tad shortly. Maybe even sharply. "Why?"

"No reason," Kazi says quickly, holding up their hands. "It will just be nice that you will be able to communicate, the next time she is in Lux Aurea."

Janai settles. That warm feeling in her chest is back, but this time it's comforting rather than constricting. "Yes," she relents, easing. "I suppose it will."

It's been a long time since Amaya was able to go a party. She thinks, idly, that the last one she may have attended good and proper—away from Breach barracks and at the castle, for a party on this scale was a celebration for Ezran's birth. It's fitting, then, that this next one is Ezran's celebration of the one year anniversary of the Last Battle. A year of peace, he says.

Amaya just wishes she knew what to do with it.

Other than, perhaps, staring at Janai. he Sunfire queen is in attendance, as a show of political goodwill, she supposes, and looks stunning in her high collared gown of gold. It's sleek with sharp edges, leaving her arms bare, and matches the rigid lines of her markings perfectly. A few of her delegates are with her, and Janai doesn't smile often, but when she does, she outshines the sun.

Amaya wishes too that she could be poetic more in person than just in her head. Because she and Janai are friends, she knows. You don't go through everything that they had—trust and battle and loss—without becoming friends of some sort. They held hands in front of the Dragon Queen. They've exchanged letters, snippets of their personal lives amid political dealings. Favourite dishes and friends. Nor is this the first time they've seen each other since the end of the war. She'd been pleasantly surprised a few months ago, when Janai had visited the Breach for a checkup, at her fluidity with Katolian sign language. She'd seen them both Wandering through whatever peace is, neither of them well suited for it.

But Amaya has always been used to taking the first step, anyway.

So she marches over, purpose astride her steps, blue gown swishing around her until she reaches Janai. The queen looks up, pleasant surprise flashing in her eyes. "General," she signs. Her few delegates disperse and Amaya tries not to read too much into it. If anything, relative privacy will make this easier.

Amaya inclines her head, smiling, and then signing quickly before she holds out her her hand. "Would you like to dance?"

Janai fumbles, then signs, "I... am not much of a dancer."

It makes sense, Amaya thinks. Only Moon magic seems to rely much on dancing, and the Sunfire elves were always so military minded. All the more reason for a bit of fun. Janai is always especially pretty when she smiles. Amaya keeps her hand outstretched, beckoning her closer with a flick of her fingers. Playful, a little flirty. Reminiscent of the gesture they each did to one another, at the outpost battle what feels like a lifetime ago, even if it's only a year and few weeks.

They're both so changed now, and maybe not changed enough.

Janai hesitates and then takes her hand. Amaya holds it tight and guides her into a waltz. The music is a marriage of strings, lutes and violins mostly, with some flutes. It's pretty—almost as pretty as the woman in her arms, Amaya thinks. They both laugh when they catch sight of Ezran giggling and dancing with Bait, the glow toad being gently swayed, and Callum and Rayla dancing better than Amaya has ever seen her nephew manage, with his two left feet.

Amaya enjoys dancing to an extent. When the music is soft a little slow, she sees other couples talking, but knows that's not possible for her. It's a little annoying sometimes, but she's used to it.

And looking at Janai, who meets her gaze, eyes warm like firelight, she thinks she doesn't mind at all. Just looking is enough.

Janai squeezes her hands once the dance is over. "Thank you, General."

Part of Amaya wants to ask for one more, mostly to see if Janai would let her have it, but she's also aware of the political implications at an event like this, with elven leaders and diplomats from the Pentarchy here in equal measure. One dance is innocent. Two is noticeable. And three indicates courtship, typically.

She and Janai are friends, Amaya knows. But she isn't sure if they're more. And if the answer is no, she isn't sure she wants to find out, and let the fire in her chest die. At least, not yet.

So Amaya lets go (and she doesn't).

Dear Janai, she reads in the General's tidy scrawl, one crisp autumn afternoon.

Callum has his sight set on the Sun Arcanum next and is requesting to stay in Lux Aurea for the next few months while he looks to forge a connection. I would feel best if he stayed at your palace, as Rayla will be unable to be by his side the whole time, and while his Sky and Moon magic are fierce, I know that the elves of Lux Aurea are some of the most well trained in the world. If some took issue to him being there, it may be worrisome.

I wish—and trust—for you to look after him in some capacity while he is there. I am sorry in advance if he gets into trouble on account of his curiosity. As his aunt, I can assure you it is an occupational hazard.

Yours, Amaya

So that is how Janai finds herself housing the Prince of Katolis in her palace. At sixteen he's still skinny and bright and curious, but Janai can see Amaya in him. The gentle slope of his smile and mischievous streak. His daring, too, and bravery. He explains to her one night over dinner that he was never much of a swordfighter, but somehow Janai is not surprised. He seems like his aunt, in that way too: a shield. A protector and defender ever more than an attacker.

"My aunt really likes you," Callum says on his last night in Lux Aurea. They're sitting out together on one of the balconies. She's grown fond of the kid. Sparred with him once in the courtyard with her sunforge blade. Steered him away from the Purification or the Light in his hopes of connecting to the Sun primal. In turn, he helped her learn even more sign language and dropped some hints about his aunt—favourite flower, that sort of thing—that Janai definitely did not commit to memory, not at all.

Janai itches to ask how. Then finds herself a little perturbed at a boy less than half her age seemingly trying to give her relationship advice. "I know I was scared to put things out in the open with Rayla," he continues, smiling a little at the mention of his girlfriend. "So she ended up making the first move, and even then I still messed up, but... It all worked out okay." He catches Janai's eye. "When something feels right, you should try to trust it. It can't hurt to try."

He slips off to bed soon after, leaving her rather flabberghasted. Janai bows her head as she sits under the stars, night slow and short in the golden city.

The boy may have a point, she begrudgingly admits. But what to do with it?

Callum is heading to the Breach in the morning to visit his aunt, before furthering to Katolis to see his brother. He'll double back with his wings to make his way back to Rayla in Xadia, she knows. Flying is faster than almost any type of travel and he is talented at it.

So Janai pens a letter and hands it to him in the morning. "For your aunt," she says, and he takes it with a kind hearted grin.

She's nervous while she waits the next few days, knowing it will take a little while for Amaya to open it, longer for her reply to arrive. Nervous because Janai knows what Amaya will found written on it, when she does.

Come to Lux Aurea. Please.

Amaya does. She shows up in her General's outfit—old habits die hard—and with news of her kingdom. Soren, the slightly daft but well meaning boy they'd fought in battle with, looks out for Ezran as well as Amaya could have hoped. Callum passed on his merry way through the restored Breach and will be going back to Xadia in a week.

Janai only processes about half of all that Amaya says, though, because her brain fails to function exactly right when the general scoops her up in a bear hug upon greeting. Just when Janai thinks she knows all there is to know about heat, Amaya comes and proves her wrong.

"And how are you?" Amaya asks, fingers flexing as they walk through the golden courtyards. Janai is glad they are not discussing the twin-tailed inferno-tooth tiger in the room yet. Why did you ask me to come? and Why did you? in equal measure.

They pass under Khessa's monument and Janai's gaze drifts. "I am well," she says, glad that Amaya cannot hear the sudden tightness in her voice. What would her sister think of this? Of Janai hesitantly courting a human? She knows what Khessa would think. She'd dismiss it outright, call her a fool. Forbade Amaya from standing where she is right now, where she very much deserves to be, because Janai wants her to be.

Wants her to be here with her.

Amaya's grip is gentle when she takes her hand for a brief squeeze, before she lets go. "Come on," she signs, lips curling. "Show me around. I did not get to see much of the city my first time here."

Janai rolls her eyes in good nature. "That is because you were a prisoner," she says, smiling.

"Of course," Amaya says, cheekily, but Janai is not about to deny her request.

She shows her the balconies and courtyards, the great waterfalls outside of the Inner Sanctum as a day trip and they have a picnic beside the rushing blue. She shows her the throne room proper, hears the slight sigh of relief Amaya emits when she sees the Light is no longer there (not only because the Dark Mage had stolen it, but also because Janai has not had the heart to replace it; it was never one of her favourite practices).

Finally, they come across the Royal Tapestry Hall. Janai explains her family tree as they walk along the tapestries of gold and brown and red, lingering on her grandmother and her sister near the end.

"We have a similar place in Katolis," Amaya explains when Janai looks at her. "Each royal family has a portrait made, and there is the Valley of Graves. That is where my sister rests."

Janai turns more fully to face her. Amaya has mentioned her sister before—older by a few years, like Khessa; felled in battle, although Janai doesn't know the details; someone Amaya misses every day—but never in anything but letters. Janai purses her lips. "Does it get easier?" she asks.

"Define easy," Amaya nearly jokes.

Janai's lips twitch. "I suppose it is like peace and war," she muses, mostly to leave Amaya more to her thoughts, if she wishes to be. "It has been over a year now and I still struggle with it."

"Better to struggle with peace than with war," Amaya says wisely and Janai nods to give her a point. Amaya looks up at the tapestry of Khessa. "Was she a good queen?"

"Define good." That does make Amaya smile now, even as Janai sobers. "My sister was," she elaborates, looking up at the tapestry. "But she was also cruel. She could see the worth in humans." Janai looks at Amaya. "She could not see the insurmountable worth in you."

Pink stains Amaya's cheeks, but for the first time, their held gaze feels steady. Like they both know exactly what is being communicated, and it is both exactly what they want. "Thank you," Amaya says. "Your trust in those days—over Viren, over your troops—meant much to me."

Janai wants to take her hand, but she has a feeling they're not done, yet.

Amaya turns away from the tapestry and Janai follows as they walk down the hall. "My sister was always far more suited for political life than I was, even if we were both warriors," she explains.

"From what I've heard of your sister from you and your nephews, she was a warrior, same as you," Janai says. "With honour."

"She was. And it suited each of us. I was already a top general before she married the king. I was very glad it wasn't me," she says, smiling. "Obvious reasons notwithstanding, as Harrow was not my type, but... I never wanted to be queen," Amaya admits.

"I hope in peacetimes you are not as opposed," Janai says, signing before she can lose her nerve. She watches Amaya's expression, the general caught off guard, before the gears grind behind her beautiful eyes, and comprehension breaks over her face, then, soft and bright as the dawn.

Amaya smiles the way she did years ago, when Janai took her hand in the Dragon Queen's cave. "I suppose not," she says, and then takes Janai's hand again. This time they lace their fingers through, fingers fitting together like when Amaya took her hand to save her life.

They still don't feel finished, now. It feels like a beginning.

Janai doesn't plan on ever letting go.

#tdp exchange #janaya #tdp amaya #tdp janai #tdp kazi

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lairofsentinel · 4 years

Text

Detailed Info from the TDP Podcast - Episode 5

Startouch elves Sunfire elves Tidebound elves

Moonshadow culture ❘༻༺❘ Weeding and courtship ❘༻༺❘Goshting spell details Silvergrove Goverment ❘༻༺❘Money ❘༻༺❘Horn cuffs symbolism

Ethari

Ethari regrets the ghosting spell ❘༻༺❘Ethari is playful

Runaan

Runaan’s feelings while being trapped in the coin ❘༻༺❘Runaan and Ethari’s reaction to Rayla-Callum relationship

Rayla

Transition to live with Runaan and Ethari and her relationship with her parents

Rayla in School ❘༻༺❘ Rayla’s parents personalities

Different scenarios for characters

Summary list

They never came with a strong lore concept when they did this stuff.

Silvergrove and Moonshadows:

Moonshadows live in small communities.

Silvergrove is not the only Moonshadow community. Maybe the rest are hidden from one another since entering to them it’s needed a particular dancing-key.

Government in Silvergrove is apparently through a Council of different groups via consensus [They don't have a strong idea about this]

Silvergrove is in permanent dusk. It was based on Ashenvale from Wow (I loved Ashenvale so much, always!)

Main values: honor, loyalty, commitment, strictness that comes from valuing a close community.

They work to support each other. They work for the good of the community. (They are communist xD)

Because they are an isolated community, any small betrayal is magnified. It's a double edged sword. Having a community so close, supportive and isolated resents your ability to perform all of yourself for the good of that community, and sometimes misunderstanding can be understood as big betrayals [Rayla’s case].

Horn cuffs can be extremely meaningful relationship-status gifts between couples but they don’t always mean marriage.

“Ethari definitely thinks Runaan has cute horns though. Fact.”

Sunfire:

Singular authority. Monarchy.

Heavily militarized.

Too focused in might and demonstration of strength.

Xadia looks at them as protectors, but also as violent. They are a dual edged sword.

They patrol the border.

Tidebound:

different in each part of the ocean.

The concept of the flow allows them to communicate all over the planet through water, rivers and lakes.

Not too much lore done about them for now. They need to work on it.

There is no Startouch elves society since they are not numerous.

Ghost spell:

Ethari regrets 100% having accepted the ghost spell, but he has no power to reverse it. He can do a quick charm to null it in the moment only.

Rayla’s ghost may be undone, but it needs a collective decision. It’s hard to believe that Ethari would convince the whole village about that.

They never thought if it has been a precedent of this spell being broken before. They think it's a good story to think about.

Rayla and her parents:

(They are still thinking about this, and there are many versions, and this may change in the future. )

Honor is a key part of Moonshadow culture, so Rayla was sad because their parents were leaving but at the same time it was a huge honour because they were going to be part of an elite force defending the King and the Queen. That's why she was so hurt when she knew her parents had run away, putting aside her sadness and the honour that such duty represented.

She also found honour in living with Runaan, the leader of the assassins.

Because Runaan and Ethari were close friends of Rayla's parents, she didn't feel it as a big shock to go to live with them. They had been taking care of her before anyways.

Lian is like the ultimate Bro. A very positive person, who wants his friends to succeed and be happy.

He is the most friendly elf among the Moonshadows. And more impulsive.

Tiadrin is the cold one, the one who does more calculations.

Rayla as a child

Rayla was feisty.

In the school she got general education, gardening, weapons, basics to everything and enough to contribute to the community in many ways.

Ecology of Moonshadow forest or history, were not her fave subjects.

She was good in general subjects but excelled in PE.

She may have friends in her childhood but not many, since she appreciates her lonely time.

“Fitting in is overrated” for her

Ethari and Runaan [characters and relationship]

Their wedding involves dancing with a ribbon.

Dating should have a degree of formality since it's the moment where they express their emotions. Exchange of gifts and small favours as mutual hints: Ethari would put extra details in objects to Runaan. Runaan would ask Ethari too many checks on his weapons, more than it's necessary.

The process is stiff and difficult [especially for Runaan], but once it's surpassed that time, there must be an open discussion about it.

Runaan struggled a lot more about this.

Runaan is the most moonshadow elf of all moonshadow elves xD. Runaan probably would do the exchange of emotions in the most private way possible.

Runaan doesn’t stop to consider the emotional motivations for anything as his first course of thought. He jumps right to a very strategic and almost militaristic belief in the way people operate.

Ethari has a playful side, but in episode 3 it is opaque due to the grief.

Ethari is more clear with his display of emotions and apparently that's something that Rayla learnt from him, so that's why she was so confused about Callum when he did a display of emotions that she thought it was romantic and failed.

Rayla took her soft heart from Ethari.

Runaan in the coin.

Runaan certainly has a lot of time to think now.

He wanted Rayla to succeed deeply, to redeem from the weight of her parent's sin and free her from her shame.

He has a small crisis thinking this is his fault, that he failed. “I did not train her well enough. Ethari was right.”

He pushed her so much to put her into a position to fix her shame, that he ended up putting her in a position that she could not succeed at all. He regrets this.

He took her to this mission because he wanted her to succeed even if it meant their death, but he wanted to make Rayla to survive. He believed that she being alive was better than everyone dead.

He feels guilty because he projected on her more what kind of person he wanted her to be, than what she truly is. But also a bit of anger, because he gave her all the opportunities and tools to take them and redeem herself, but she rejected them. However, the guilt will prevail during the introspection. “Maybe it was me who stepped too far.”

Runaan and Ethari relationships with Callum

Ethari will get that Rayla and Callum are a thing without needing too much time. And Ethari would be the one to talk about that with Runaan first, in order to soften his ideas.

Runaan probably will not want to show his emotions about the bad feelings that Callum inspires him but Ethari will sense that Runaan is not taking this well

Callum will live on the edge of “I'm going to die tonight” every time there is a family meeting XD

Ethari and Callum will get along quickly. Callum would do the dad jokes, Ethari would humour him, and Runaan would be completely oblivious to the meanings.

#fic: The Many Phases of the Moon #im glad I had only to fix the concept of the ghost spell in the fic #since I believed Rayla was unable to see her parents #The dragon prince lore #the dragon prince #rayla #runaan #ethari #moonshadow elves #sunfire #this is for personal use in this blog #you can access to almost transcript that #beautifulterriblequeen did

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beautifulterriblequeen · 4 years

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Notes from the Deluxe Elf Interview, pt 3 (HBMP podcast)

I like to process important stuff more thoroughly to help me retain it, so I take notes when I listen to shows and podcasts and stuff. And the best episode of Hot Brown Morning Potion Podcast just came out–the Deluxe Elf Interview with Devon Giehl and Iain Hendry–so you know I was all over that. This is just my personal notes, nothing super detailed or organized, and not delved into yet at all.

If I have a direct quote, it’s in double quotes. Sometimes my notes are paraphrasing or getting only most of the words, and sometimes it’s just me rambling, but if I “quote” something, it’s a proper direct quote that I went back and listened to. Also, sometimes I noted who was talking, just because I loved how they played off each other and offered different perspectives. I is for Iain and D is for Devon.

________

Wedding: Devon loves cute dances. Prince of Egypt dance with the ribbon, song = Through Heaven’s Eyes, is what she thinks of, Runaan and Ethari had a moment in their wedding like that. Everybody dances with them. There are wedding rituals that celebrate life just as hard as other rituals embrace death. The opposite feel to the “’let’s go murder someone’ party” from S1E1.

Courtship: D: some formality to it, because Moonshadows are so purposeful and thoughtful with how they express their feelings if at all. Exchange of gifts, small favors, making your purpose known in a way that starts small but meaningfully. Ethari putting extra detail into the work he does for Runaan as a sign of affection. Runaan asking Ethari to work on his weapons or metalcraft stuff a little bit more than was necessary. It’s a bit stiff and difficult at first but once there is clear reciprocation there can be more of an open discussion about it. Runaan probably struggled with this a whole lot. Runaan had a really hard time even with the first simple offerings of affection, because he takes that aspect of Moonshadow culture to the extreme.

I: ‘“Runaan is the most Moonshadow elf of all Moonshadow elves”. He’s trying to pick up on the tiniest possible hints through professional exchanges with Ethari, and so on, trying to read Ethari’s actions without reacting overtly to them and still somehow hoping he gets it right. He’d want to be 100% sure and then discuss it in the most private situation possible with no possible spies to see him get it wrong bc he would die of embarrassment. “I’m gonna assassinate myself because I confessed love and it didn’t get reciprocated.” Lots of awkward advances.

D: Ethari has a playful side we didn’t get to see because he was so sad. Ethari played oblivious to Runaan’s awkward advances, and doesn’t give the signal back that he is fully interested, so he’s playing a bit with Runaan even though he’s very much interested in him.

I: Rayla sees Callum being open and honest with his feelings and to her that means “love connection” so she kisses him, and then he wasn’t expecting that so she panicked and said they’d never speak of it again.

Check out the podcast, guys!

#HBMP podcast #devon giehl #iain hendry #tdp interview #moonshadow elves #runaan #ethari #moonshadow weddings #moonshadow courtship #moonshadow dancing #rayla #callum

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ask-ethari-anything · 4 years

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I'm feeling sad and can't sleep. Have you got any fluffy stories you could tell me?

Did you know that if you brush a Moonshadow elf’s hair in the moonlight, you get to make a wish? It’s true.

Or so I made Runaan believe, anyway. *wink*

When we were courting, and I was finally sure how I felt about him, I decided to play a bit with him because he’s downright adorable when he’s flustered. I had a presentation coming up--one of my master projects--and I wanted it to go well, so I asked Runaan for advice.

He told me things like sleep well the night before, eat right, drink plenty of water, and such. And I promised I’d do all of those things. But I really was a bit nervous, so I asked if I could brush his hair in the moonlight so I could wish for success.

The look he gave me! I really had to work to keep it together.

“You want to what?” he asked softly.

“You know. Like the village legend says. ‘When you want to do well on your master crafting project presentation and you’re feeling a bit nervous, make a wish for success on the longest Moonshadow hair you can find by brushing it in the moonlight.’”

Runaan stared at me. “That’s incredibly specific.”

I shrugged and grinned. “Many Moonshadow sayings are.”

He struggled internally for a moment--I could tell because he looked down and his face went blank--but then he met my eyes and agreed with a crisp nod. “When is your presentation?”

“In two days.”

“The Moon is waxing. We should wait until tomorrow night, then, when there will be more moonlight.”

My heart was soaring! I agreed immediately. “Good thinking, Runaan. What would I do without you?”

He blinked and took me seriously, poor dear. “You’d be just fine without me, Ethari. You’ve made it this far on your own.”

Well, we all help each other out, but I had to concede his point. Still, I spun it again for him. “That’s very insightful! Do you have any more deep thoughts to share with me tomorrow night? I’d love to hear them.”

He tucked his hands behind his back. “If you like. I think about many things while I meditate. If it pleases you to hear them, I’ll share some of my thoughts with you.”

Well, I floated on a cloud for the next day and a half. My presentation was all ready, and I was rapidly becoming more excited about brushing Runaan’s hair than giving my presentation.

We met at the base of the tree house stairs that last night. Runaan stood beside me on the broad step and pulled his hair clasps free. I admit, I went a little breathless. Then he handed me his own hairbrush--he’s very particular about things like that, I’ve learned. And he sat with his feet dangling off the edge of the step into empty space, with his hair in a patch of pure moonlight.

I gathered up that thick white hair and started figuring out how to brush it. Runaan gave me plenty of tips, and soon I had a soft grip on it and was brushing it like a pro while Runaan told me his favorite Moonshadow philosophies.

I must’ve brushed his hair for an hour, just because I didn’t want him to stop talking to me. “I don’t want to interrupt you, Runaan, but I’m feeling so lucky right now that I think Garlath himself would approve my project. This ritual is definitely working for me.”

“It’s working for me, too,” he murmured.

“What?” I blurted.

“What?” he echoed. “N-Nothing. I’m just glad you’re feeling confident in yourself. You deserve to. I’m sure I’ve forgotten some of the details already--can you tell me again how your enchantment works?”

And then it was my turn to spend the next hour talking about my lunar-cycle perpetual-illusion invention. I don’t know if Runaan followed any of what I was saying, but it doesn’t matter. That’s not why he’d asked, and we both knew it.

Whenever I’m overthinking a project now, Runaan will hand me a hairbrush after moonrise and ask me to tell him about it. And I do. Maybe I did make this ritual up. But it works anyway.

#ask ethari #runaan x ethari #story time #long white elf hair #it's soft elf husband hours #moonshadow courtship

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mimosaeyes · 4 years

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Partial transcript of Hot Brown Morning Potion Podcast episode 5, specifically the Ruthari bit around 34:49... This is mostly verbatim but I skipped most of the um’s and like’s. Posting publicly for ease of reference, and per @kuno-chan’s request. I have another Ruthari fic in the works at the moment, and this interview really helped me with characterisation!

As detailed as possible, can you describe courtship customs for Moonshadow elves?

Iain: Devon is deep in thought.

Devon: I’ve never — like, for some reason, the headcanons that I’ve thought about are more specific to Runaan and Ethari, than I’ve really sort of branched out into thinking about how Moonshadow elves do this in general. But I imagine — there’s some formality to it, I would imagine. Because they’re so purposeful and thoughtful with how they express their feelings, if at all. I think it would be, you know, exchange of gifts, like small favours, and… making your purpose known in a way that starts small, but has purpose.

So I think there’s versions where, you know, Ethari would put extra detail into the work he was doing for Runaan — which, you know, could be perceived as a sign of affection. Or Runaan was coming to Ethari, asking him to work on his weapons or metal craft stuff, a little bit more than was necessary. Stuff like that, where it’s a bit stiff, and difficult, but I think once there is clear reciprocation, I think there could be more of an open discussion about it. Does that make sense?

But I think, like, Runaan probably struggled with this a whole lot. ‘Cause he’s — it might have been you that I responded to on Twitter, ‘cause someone asked me something along these lines. And I think Runaan had a really hard time, even with these first sort of, like, simple offerings of affection. Because that’s just him. He sort of takes that aspect to an extreme. Like he has a hard time being like, ‘Here is the way I wish to express myself,’ in a soft way and not with a sharp object. I think Ethari had an easier time, ‘cause he’s just more naturally… soft.

Iain: Yeah, I sometimes think that Runaan is the most Moonshadow elf of all Moonshadow elves. You know, when they have such a hard time showing their feelings, and they sometimes feel like they’re not supposed to, and so on. So Runaan is trying to pick up on the tiniest possible hints through professional exchanges, and so on. And I think when it’s actually time to confess that there’s a feeling there, he would — I think especially Runaan would have to be 100% sure, then would do it entirely in private, most private situation possible, where there could be no possible spies who could see this if it was going to go wrong, ‘cause that would just be the end of his entire life, obviously.

Devon: Yeah, he would bind himself to his own death.

Iain: Yeah. ‘That’s it, gonna assassinate myself because I confessed love, and it didn’t get reciprocated. That’s that.’

Devon: ‘It’s over.’

Iain: So yeah, lots of awkward advances where they’re trying to have the escape hatch of, ‘Oh, I didn’t really try to suggest that I liked you, this was just me asking you for a professional favour. Bye, let’s never speak again.’

Devon: Yeah, and then he comes back the next day. […] I do think [Ethari] had a much easier time, and probably picked up on stuff. To me, there’s a side of Ethari that you don’t really get to see in the episode, because he’s very sad. I think he does have a playful side, and I like to imagine that while Runaan was doing his, like, really just not the best attempts to display affection early on, Ethari would pick up on them, but not necessarily give the full signal back, and he played a little bit oblivious. He’s just more emotionally in tune, so I think: ‘Oh hey, you’re back! Again! Wow, I thought I did fantastic work on your blades last time. I cannot believe they’re already dull…’ And he’s just sort of like — he knows, he knows there’s something there.

Iain: I think this kind of gets echoed in Rayla, right, where Callum, in an effort to pick her up and be honest about how he feels that she’s just an incredible person. Like to her, that’s like, ‘Person being entirely open with their feelings in a positive way? That’s a love connection!’

#the dragon prince #runaan #ethari

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