#like on the one hand harrow & sarai would be so proud of him

[raayllum]

like once again I am positing that Callum is delightfully terrifying

#broyals #s3 #snake boi callum #3x09 #ZERO REGRET ZERO REMORSE HE'S LOVING IT HE'S LOVING THE ZAP HANDS #i've always thought this parallel between them was interesting as well as illustrated their differences so well #from the very start to the very end #arc 1 #parallels #mine #last related post for the night i swear i just #brrr love him so much #like on the one hand harrow & sarai would be so proud of him #on the other hand they'd be like 'callum. Honey. u good?' if not disapproving #from sarai a lil bit #JUST SOMETIMES #even just when his temper comes out with ez #now i wonder if callum created the jerkface dance bc sarai & amaya had a similar ritual #tag ramble #headcanons

[inflammatoryfandomblog]

you know what, i’m just gonna dump all of the thoughts i’ve had on tdp in the past year (not many) in a classic, inflammatoryfandomblog hyper-readable and not-at-all-irritating-to-read post. this one in particular was just a post that i’d saved to drafts and added to whenever i had a Thought.

some of these things were written in response to discourse that was popular a few months ago, but that i don’t remember the specifics on now and don’t remember who or what was involved--i just caught secondhand vibes.

i’ll stick this under a readmore because it’s actually quiiiite long, because i don’t edit very well. i also dislike the show, so this is not a commentary coming from a fan. if you don’t want negativity or plain just don’t like me, please do not push the “keep reading” thing.

-> unicorns are definitely not extinct and something fishy is going on here. how did claudia manage to get a unicorn horn for viren’s edgy spell if they were all gone hundreds of years ago? that’s not right. or it’s a retcon. or claudia just nabbed a unicorn horn from a museum and told viren she captured a unicorn (new short story idea: claudia’s caper). to boot, viren was super proud of claudia for capturing a unicorn. maybe the unicorns were actually super bad, who knows.

-> dark magic leading to a magical desertification makes sense. i mean, you put all those powerless humans with a handful of dark magic lords and... i mean remember that post i made about how the imprint of dark magic should make itself visible in the human cultures? this is what i’m talking about. 

with the history of desertification, “(dark) magic is just an easy way out” is at once Advanced Cope and also a reasonably skeptical reaction if your history is marred by a concentration of mages/the people in charge not thinking ahead but instead of letting the natural consequences of their stupid actions explode in their faces, magic allows them to circumvent it at cost and they make bigger and bigger mistakes until they hit a problem that can no longer be solved with magic .......... wait lmao i literally described king harrow’s character. that’s literally his life from beginning to end.

they could have actually hinted at this in the show by having sarai initially object to viren’s plan with “harrow, you know we can’t keep this up. this will work for now, but what about the future? what about the next harvests? are we going to cross the border every time?” maybe other kingdoms can have differing attitudes re: dark magic and even magic in general. that’s how you imply this thing in the show instead of having the kingdoms be different flavors of sludge. just... please. anything. don’t just shove your worldbuilding in the tertiary material and have it not matter to the things on screen.

(also yes, you may notice that (dark) magic is in parentheses, this is because this is also a problem with regular magic, it’s just conveniently the type of magic withheld from humans and doesn’t sap intelligence and long-term thinking from its wielders, which makes this sort of thing more likely to happen. wow i love the dragons and grEAt oNES for trapping an entire race in their own side of the continent instead of literally anything else)

-> what’s hilarious re: the above is that magic also prevented ezran from learning anything or having any sort of character growth in season 3. i love how there’s one shot of him briefly being shocked that the troops he napalmed with dragons were... dead... before it’s revealed that thanks to the power of dark magic, he didn’t actually kill anybody. i guess you don’t have to think about any costs ever lmao. but can you imagine if that didn’t happen? the mood whiplash would have been so funny. yeah yeah “show for kids” so it can’t happen, but then they *really* shouldn’t have explicitly called attention to this theme, or maybe have ezran grow a backbone/personality and refuse to fight his people instead of having him be in the final battle because... you want an Epic Final Battle? if you wanted to have the theme of love winning out maybe have ezran watch over zym and have *him* be the one who isn’t distracted by the battle and have him be the one who confronts viren/warns the others, instead of... bad writing? like ezran spending three episodes being a peace fan and then ending the season flamethrowering those same people with a big old smile on his face is the closest thing you can have to objectively bad (that’s right i’m a STEMlord now) storytelling no matter what demographic you’re throwing it at. there are so many moments in the series like this too, it’s so frustrating to think about.

-> aaravos is boring and lame. the reason people ship viren and aaravos isn’t because they have a good dynamic (it’s so painful every time aaravos is on screen guys), it’s because the only possible explanation for anyone with even a single functioning neuron to tolerate this annoying grub for more than 5 seconds would be that they are attracted to him. coincidentally, a very disproportionate amount of artwork of aaravos in the fandom is aggressively horny. yes i am saying that aaravos is a wet paper bag, and i am still an Aaravos Hater.

-> arcanums are honestly vague as hell and i still cannot tell you what the hell callum did to unlock the sky arcanum. like if anything he’s more aligned with the moon arcanum thanks to his dubious relationship with truth-telling, and he even makes sooo many connections to the moon arcanum in season 3. the way he got it makes me think “well why isn’t there any other regular human mage if it’s so easy?” he wanted to be powerful really bad but like so did viren lmao. what’s the difference between these two besides the fact that callum didn’t get dark magic brainrot?

-> dark magic is not an analogue to science (it has nothing to do with observing the natural world, making hypotheses, etc), and i don’t really think arcanums are an analogue to spirituality. people make this comparison only because they want to make connections to atla’s four elements--which themselves didn’t have anything to do with spirituality; you just had to “understand” the element to be a better bender, which isn’t the same thing as spirituality. i’ve ragged on the avatar series for just straight-up not understanding spirituality even in the general avatar stuff (it’s new age fafa woo with eastern folklore used as set dressing in both atla and lok) and using it as window dressing and it’s even less relevant in the dragon prince.

arcanums don’t even make you wise. lujanne is a master at her arcanum and understands the source of moon magic but she is still a shallow person and not generally wise, as making your entire identity around *illusions* predictably does to you. similarly the sunfire elves are obsessed with the “true nature” of something and literally cannot see anything else. one-track mind. understanding one arcanum may give you a very particular sort of understanding, but only as it relates to one element. natural vs. dark magic is obviously meant to be more of a “connection with nature vs only seeing it as a resource to be exploited” thing than it is a science vs. religion thing. you can see this even with the slight environmental themes implied in the “magic desertification” above. i don’t like many things about how the series handles this because it has babybrain morality re: ... the entire xadia genocide thing, but it’s not science vs. religion. 

-> that’s what really kills dark magic in this series, right? the fantasy “is dark magic good to use and when?” should be a jumping off point to explore all the other ways in which people value and instrumentalize power (ie sol regem literally saying the humans are inferior because they are less powerful) instead of staying only at the shallow level. just because the elves don’t use dark magic doesn’t mean they are immune to this criticism, but the show constantly puts them in this better light. human rayla is hilarious but elf callum (which relies significantly less on negative stereotypes) is insensitive. pyrrha (not a wild animal and part of a hostile social order) torching a town to keep her class’s power is okay because... it’s not dark magic? come on man. if you have politics in your show, do something with it or don’t give it this much focus.

-> the first time i saw this show, i was like “huh, that looks like the trail of tears.” it’s not really subtle guys. the story explicitly takes visual cues from the trail of tears (a real historical event) and then constructs the story to be as kind as possible to the elves instead of giving them any criticism whatsoever. and i hate the talking point that thinking this is insensitive is stupid and “thinking too much” because it’s “just for kids” and “well, you don’t understand that victims can be victimizers uwu! you’re just not used to it!!!” well sorry to say but the whole idea that victims in one context can be victimizers in another is almost always true! as any checkmate-liberals alt-right andrew jackson fan can tell you, the cherokee were no angels (oh wait they are people and had flaws and flawed social systems? well i guess we can’t say they suffered injustice, it’s a wrap, everyone!); they were humans; that’s kind of why they’re called human rights, not “perfect angels who shit rainbows” rights. we still can clearly say the trail of tears was bad. i mean, unless you’re a lemming, which apparently a lot of “hurr durr the natives did bad things sometimes too” people are.

saying “i would like any sort of acknowledgement from the show (which is for children by the way!) that this was wrong and to stop constantly making additions to the lore that essentially say ‘but the humans were no angels!!! but the humans were no angels!!!!’” this isn’t “oh boo hoo people can’t handle nuance.” stories are artificial and constructed, not outgrowths of events that happened in the real world. the presentation of the story matters. it’s totally okay for the humans to have quite serious flaws; that’s not what people are complaining about. stop playing dumb. it’s was the writer’s choice to explicitly evoke the trail of tears. they don’t get to say “it’s a y-7 show!!!”  you don’t want people to draw comparisons to real life political beliefs? do not make references to real-life events.

-> there is a lot i don’t pay attention to in tdp that i would be more critical of if it wasn’t for that y-7 rating. i’m not expecting high art here. there’s a lot of pacing issues and weird character beats and narrative choices that are fine and dandy because it’s a kid’s show. my problem is that it keeps trying to be cutting-edge and dark and handwaving any complexity instead of actually depicting things in a kid-friendly way. handling issues in a kid-friendly way means handling issues in a kid-friendly way, not... ignoring them for cheap drama and saying “nuance!!!” so that your adult audience (and the adult and teenage audience for this show is quite large compared to, say, sofia the first or something) isn’t embarrassed for watching a kids’ show. this doesn’t mean realism vs. liberalism or whipping out your IR textbook from college. in many ways portraying this stuff in a kid-friendly way is even harder than talking about it to adults, because with adults you have big words, a larger body of mutual understanding, knowledge of real-world events, etc, to fall back on.

#tdp #me.txt #not really a begone thought or a whoa man... whoa... more of a really long text post really #with unconnected thoughts

[shy-badger]

A Strange Moment in Time  Ch5

Ok so I'm human and suck at descriptions, so I didn't include any mention of Runaan's arms. I will touch more on it when he is in another chapter, but Runaan has only one arm. The assassin band removed his left arm as promised. now, enjoy the rest I guess.

Viren’s head throbbed as though the weight of the world sat on his temples. Reaching up to hold his head only brought an uncomfortably loud racket causing him to wince. Finally he opened his eyes to investigate the source of this metallic clanging coming from his wrists. Chains. Viren was chained to the floor.

The dungeon? Why am I here? Viren thought, already recounting the events that led up to this.

The elves were attacking, one of them ran off, I had the other one on the ropes, then I was trapped in ice by…  the mage. He was a human mage! Why would a human help those bloodthirsty elves? And how did that land me here?

Viren scanned his surroundings. He was in the castle’s public dungeon, not his own hidden cells. The bed he lay on, hardwood with no covers, typical for a prisoner. The light coming from above was a soft purple, indicating that dawn was only an hour or two away. This however made seeing farther than five feet away difficult. His robes seemed to be all that was left on him. No pouches on his belt or ingredients in his pockets making him feel almost naked. 

“My my, what a sticky situation we have here.” a deep voice almost sang from the darkness.

Viren bolted up, trying to look as battle ready as possible with his hands bound.

“Who is there? Show yourself!” Viren commanded.

“But, of course. I am always here to help you Viren.” came a smooth, almost amused reply. From the shadows just beyond the bars of his cell, a figure appeared, a translucent being that felt almost ancient, and ethereal. The robes it wore were covered in a starry pattern extending to its drawn hood, which seemed to be covering some large headdress. “Past, present, and future.”

“And what is that supposed to mean?” Viren asked, gaining an ever increasing feeling of dejavu. 

“I assume by now you have figured out that something is off, that you are not where you’re supposed to be. Well my dear Viren, that is because I have brought you to a new and interesting time, specifically somewhere around thirty two years in the future. This may sound crazy I know, but I assure you, it’s possible.” The stranger explained, matter-of-factly. 

Viren stared at him for a minute, before deciding that this was all in his imagination, probably from being hit in the head, and layed back down on the bed.

“Come now, I assure you this is real. I am bound to you Viren, through space and time. And through this bond, I have called you to me, through all these years, so that I can finally ensure that your will is done.” The stranger almost pleaded with him.

“And what is that exactly? And why should I believe you? I don’t know who or what you are.” Viren huffed.

“I am your humble servant. You wish to secure a bright future for all of humanity. I seek only to aid you in that endeavor. I have earned your trust before, and I will do so again. You need your freedom first. Then I believe some pesky elves should be removed.” The stranger grinned.

Callum fidgeted with his scarf as he climbed the stairs. He said he wanted to talk to his mom, and he did, but now he had no idea what he wanted to ask. The urge to talk to her for hours had welled in his chest, however he hadn’t even started and was drawing a blank on what to say. He was running out of stairwell to climb and still no closer to a conversation starter, when he was interrupted by Queen Sarai herself. 

“Callum! It is still no stranger to see you fully grown today than it was yesterday. But look at you! An early riser, with a healthy lifestyle. I’m so proud.” Saria practically beamed.

“Oh… um.. Thanks. I mean most days I still try to sleep in. But I’m a dad you know. I’ve got to set a good example. I mean, you know. You’re a mom. I mean of course you know you’re  a mom. How wouldn’t you know? Heh heh.” Callum couldn’t stop the word vomit spilling from his mouth. “You were a really good one too. I mean ARE a good one. I’m sorry. I don’t know if that’s rude. I’ve never talked with someone from the past before… Sorry.” Callum sighed, trying to reign in the thoughts racing through his head. 

“Honey, it’s ok, take a breath. Are you ok?” Sarai grabbed his shoulder, concern flooding her face.

“Sorry, yeah I’m ok. It’s just weird having you back.” Callum said.

“How long have I been gone?” Sarai’s tone softened, looking directly at her son.

“Um… About thirty… one, thirty two years. It’s been a while.” he said.

“It’s ok that you’re nervous. If my dad suddenly showed up I would be too. Come on, Harrow is checking on the kids, why don’t we get something to snack on before breakfast?” Sarai offered.

“Well Barius usually has some jelly tarts ready for Ezran early in the morning.” Callum suggested.

“I knew I liked that man.” Sarai smiled.

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

Ezran shuffled towards the castle kitchen, desperate for a sugary boost to his morning after the near all-nighter he just pulled. As he rounded the last corner, voices caught him off-guard enough to bring him to attention. It was Callum and Queen Sarai talking softly to one another, their voices packed with emotion. Ezran ducked behind the door frame and listened as well as he could.

“It wasn’t easy growing up without you after that, no. I tried so hard to grow into the man I thought you wanted me to be.... But at some point, I was so busy just trying to survive, or do what was right, that I forgot to be what you wanted of me. I guess that just made me think I failed you.” Callum sounded like he was about to cry.

“Sweetie, I promise you, that you haven’t failed me. All I wanted for you is to grow up happy and healthy. The last thing I want is for you to try to be something you’re not just to please someone else. And look at you! You’re High Mage, have a happy family, you stay active and just. You’re everything I ever hoped you would be. I love you Callum. I always will.” A ruffle of clothing made Ezran think they were hugging.

“Thanks mom. It’s really good having you back.” Callum sniffled a little as he said that. “Come on, we should get out of here before Ezran finds out we ate all his jelly tarts.”

“YOU WHAT?!” Ezran shouted as he jumped out of the doorway.

“EZ!” Callum jumped to his feet, clearly shocked to see Ezran catching them in the act of stealing his precious morning tarts.

“Aw I needed those after staying up all night….” Ezran’s anguished cry petered out almost immediately as a familiar sensation exploded from within. The smile that spread across his face instantly inspired confusion in Callum and Sarai.

“Zym’s almost here!” Ezran shouted as he bolted for the courtyard to greet his winged friend for the first time in a year.

#Fanfic #Rayllum #Callum #Sarai #Ezran #Viren #Aaravos

[theredhairedmonkey]

Thunderfall and the Narrative of Love

I’ll admit, I still have trouble watching Thunderfall, and in particular the scene where Avizandum is turned to stone.

Even during rewatches, I pause to do a quick gut-check and see if I’m up for viewing this particular moment again.

What can I say? This show sometimes isn’t for the faint of heart (of which I am).

But the focus of this episode is actually on King Harrow.

In the classical sense of heroes and tragedies, Harrow is the epitome of a tragic hero.

A hero is simply one who does great deeds, the sort of feats ordinary people could scarcely dream of doing.

But his story is also a tragedy. We tend to think of tragedies as stories with a sad ending, and that’s half right. But in the original definition, what made a sad story a tragedy is that the hero falls due to a “tragic flaw.”

So, for instance, when people read or watch the movie “The Death of Superman,” where we see Kal-El die after his fight with Doomsday, we conclude this is a tragedy because of its sad ending. But while we see Superman die, we never see him fall; he remains true to form, a paragon of virtue and heroism to the very end.

But in Greek tragedies, heroes have flaws that lead to their downfall. Achilles was a courageous warrior and had the strength of a god, but was stubborn and proud, which led to a series of events—him sitting out the Trojan war for a time, the sacking of Troy, his battle with Hector—which led to his demise at the hands of Paris.

Oedipus, probably the most famous tragic hero in history, had what Greeks held to be the ultimate flaw—hubris, or the belief that one could possibly oppose fate and the gods. His hubris led to Oedipus blinding himself and going into self-imposed exile.

In each of these, the tragic component comes not from how the hero dies, but how the hero’s flaws lead to their fall.

And that’s what Thunderfall is really about. It’s the story of Avizandum’s death, but it’s actually about Harrow’s fall.

He was truly a good king, putting the interests of his people ahead of himself.

Viren: “King Harrow worked tirelessly. He told me he thought of himself as a servant of all the people of Katolis. A servant King.”

Fighting to create a just world, one that treats everyone, rich and poor alike, with the fairness and kindness they deserve.

Harrow: Sarai, my father told me that above all, I must be a just king. The night he died, Lady Justice came to me in a dream…She said to me that justice was more than fair decisions and fair consequences. True justice was a fair system. Then she laid before me her scales, her sword, and her blindfold and told me to choose.

Sarai: You chose the blindfold.

Harrow: I did. She said the blindfold gives us a way to test the system.That I should use it to imagine I had not been born yet, and that I did not know if I would be born rich or poor, what color my skin would be, what culture or practices my family would have. That a fair system should be fair no matter the accident of my birth. That the rights, and laws, and opportunities within the system should stand to protect and empower everyone.

But Harrow was only a man. He found the love of his life, and she was taken from him not long after.

And for years he struggled to move past his loss. To be the better person. To look toward the present and the future.

But in the end, he couldn’t let go of his hate. He succumbed to it and let it consume him.

And this one moment of weakness set in motion everything that was to follow—Avizandum’s death and stealing the Dragon Egg; the Dragonguard’s betrayal; the Dragon Queen’s revenge; and the quest to return Zym home.

This all led to the moment when Callum found himself standing on the same field where Harrow once stood, wrestling with the same feelings and temptations that Harrow once wrestled with.

At this moment, Callum struggles to contain his hatred. Even Rayla looks somewhat shocked.

He’s feeling such a wave of emotion—pain, sadness, anger. Maybe even a little gladness that the creature who took his mother is gone.

But this all fades away to sadness and regret: “I feel so sorry that this all happened.”

Why?

That was the moment Callum saw beyond himself. His pain was personal, but it was never only his. Because even for Avizandum, the object of Callum’s hatred, there was someone who mourned his loss.

And someone who’s life was now emptier without him.

They were all bound together now, by both Avizandum’s life and his death.

Just like Callum, Ezran, and Rayla are.

Because of that, rather than succumbing to it like Harrow did, Callum decides to let go of his hate. He instead chooses to have faith that love—his love— could be enough to finally fix what was broken and set right what once went wrong so long ago.

One of the things I really like about Callum isn’t that he’s a strong character who is also vulnerable, emotional, and loving. Even though that’s not as common for male characters as I’d like it to be, it’s still not that rare. Some of the most iconic heroic figures—Superman, Luke Skywalker, Avatar Aang—are powerful characters who allow themselves to be vulnerable and sensitive.

But what’s different from Callum is that he’s not merely both strong and vulnerable, but that his strength comes from his vulnerability. He’s become a powerful mage in a matter of weeks because of his love—he’s always learned new forms of magic in response to a need; his love, and his desire to protect it, helps provide that need, and pushes him to break past the limits to his strength again and again.

He’s able to face so much adversity in his life because he’s not afraid to face his emotions and even his darker impulses—to learn from them and then let them go. And this is the lesson that Harrow passed on to his son; that strength means he no longer has to hold on to his hatred and his pain but look beyond to find something meaningful, something worth fighting for and protecting.

And that something might end up saving their world.

#avizandum #thunder #thunderfall #harrow #harrow x viren #harrow x sarai #sarai #viren #callum #ezran #rayla #zym #rayllum

[aspoonofsugar]

Viren and His Children: A Game of Mirrors

This picture shows the relationships between Viren and his two kids pretty nicely. On one hand there is Claudia using magic and Viren tenderly watching her. On the other hand there is Soren, who is not in his father’s lap, looking up at his sister and grabbing his father’s clothes to attract the man’s attention.

Viren treats both Soren and Claudia as extensions of himself, but he does so in different ways. There are two consequences to this. On one hand Soren and Claudia have developed different problems in relation to their parent. On the other hand they represent different sides of Viren himself.

This meta will try to show this and to show how Soren, Claudia and Viren all explore similar themes in different ways.

As a side note, when it comes to Soren and Viren, this meta by @mystic-deep has thoughts very similar to mine and it is a good read!

VIREN AND SOREN: THE TRUTH IN THE MIRROR

At the root of Viren’s character there is this:

Here, Viren is talking about the magic mirror, but he is symbolically referring to himself. He wants to have power and to feel special. In other words, Viren’s thirst for power (aka his main flaw) is born by him deep down feeling worthless.

Viren projects this sense of worthlessness on both his children, so that they feel they have to gain their worth. After all, it is not by chance that by the age of respectively sixteen and eighteen Claudia and Soren are already accomplished enough to become the Archmage’s assistant and a Crownguard:

This becomes especially evident when you compare them with Ezran and Callum who, despite being princes, are not asked to do anything special with their lives. They are simply loved:

It is interesting that Viren and Soren say basically the same thing, respectively at the beginning and at the end of the first part of the series. However, they give the same concept opposite spins. As a matter of fact Viren presents the way Harrow brought Callum up as negative, while Soren presents it as positive. This is not by chance because Soren has inherited many of his father’s issues, but, differently from him, has managed to move past them by the end of season three.

This leads us to the main point of this section aka how Soren and Viren are similar and in what they differ.

First of all, both of them have sworn to protect the king since Viren is Harrow’s most trusted advisor, while Soren is a Crownguard. They both define themselves through their role and have pride in the abilities which let them reach their position. To be more specific, Viren is proud of his talent in dark magic and of his intelligence. Soren is instead proud of his physical prowess. In short, they share the same wish (proving their worth), but try to realize it in different ways (magical prowess vs physical prowess).

Viren and Soren are both ultimately examples of toxic masculinity, which can be defined as it follows:

-Suppressing emotions or masking distress

-Maintaining an appearance of hardness

-Violence as an indicator of power (think: “tough-guy” behavior)

(From the article I linked above, which @hamliet suggested to me).

These kinds of behaviours are very easy to spot when it comes to Soren:

However, the story makes clear that Soren has developed them because of his father’s education:

Toxic masculinity is at the root of the order Viren gives Soren. As a matter of fact he is asking his son to kill his childhood friends for some kind of greater good. Soren is asked to sacrifice his bonds and his feelings to impress his father. What is more, this sacrifice is presented as a way to prove his strength.

In other words, Soren tries to act as he thinks his father would want him to. This detrimental behaviour reaches its climax when Soren tries to kill Pyrrah. Let’s highlight that the episode Fire and Fury comes after The Heart of a Titan:

The Heart of a Titan

Fire and Fury

Both Viren and Soren’s fights against a dragon are masked as selfless attempts to help others. On one hand Viren goes back to try and help the Queens of Duren. On the other hand Soren claims that he wants to help the people of the city. However, both men are motivated by the need of proving themselves. Once again this is pretty evident when it comes to Soren:

But even in this case Soren’s behaviour is born by specific teachings he received:

Viren is obsessed by the inferiority of humans when compared with magical creatures and thinks it is his duty to find a solution for it. What he does not notice is that he confuses humanity’s inferiority with his own inferiority complex. He does not want to win against magical creatures for humanity’s sake, but to show he is not inferior to them. In other words, Viren going back to fight Avizandum, when it was clear that he had no chance, was something probably born by his need to prove himself.

Things end up badly for both father and son. As a matter of fact the people they were trying to help suffer because of their interference. What is more, both Viren and Soren need to be saved by a woman who sacrifices (a part of) herself:

However, Soren receives an ulterior bad consequence for his behaviour:

He temporary loses his physical strength aka the thing he was the most proud of. Because of this, he is forced to face his own vulnerability:

Opens up to his sister:

And expresses what he really wants:

Ultimately what Soren wants is to love people and to be loved in return. Because of this, it is important that he is saved because of others’ love and kindness:

Claudia is there for him despite him having done a mess and Ezran forgives his crimes. It is ultimately because of them and of his own ability to learn from his mistakes that Soren is able to grow. It is poignant that in season 3 Soren starts to pursue his objectives with a completely different method from this:

He uses intelligence:

Communication:

And shows vulnerability, even to his father:

The fact that Viren, in this scene, despises his son’s vulnerability is symbolic of how he can’t really accept his own. As a matter of fact Viren basically does to Soren what he does to himself:

He asks Soren to cut his ties with his childhood friends, just like he did with Harrow whose children he is trying to kill. He wants Soren to inherit the throne, just like he is usurping it. He wants to turn Soren in a monster, just like he himself is turning more and more into one (both internally and externally):

Because of all of this, the reason why Viren treats Soren so coldly finally becomes clear. It is because Viren sees in Soren a part of himself he is ashamed of and does not want to face. Soren is, in Viren’s eyes, the part of himself who tries hard, but never fully succeeds. So Viren asks of Soren the impossible and he shows Soren his most cruel and pragmatic side more openly than he does with Claudia. Moreover he tries to change Soren into someone(-thing) he sees as powerful. However, by refusing to accept his son for who he is, Viren misses that there is much to be loved about Soren. He misses that Soren has talents and traits, which make him a good person and a great Crownguard:

What is more, by refusing Soren’s doubts and challenges, he also refuses to see what should be clear:

If Viren had listened to Soren’s question and had been honest with himself, he could have realized that he is not really the one in control, but that Aaravos is. Soren refuses to stay his father’s puppet, just when his father chooses to be someone else’s and stops thinking with his own head.

In conclusion, Soren is the victim of his father’s self-hate. Moreover, he symbolizes a part of Viren the man refuses. It is precisely because of this refusal that Viren spirals further and this spiral is symbolized by him becoming more and more intertwined with Dark Magic.

VIREN AND CLAUDIA: AN ILLUSION IN THE MIRROR

Dark Magic is described in this way by Sarai:

It is a shortcut which lets people evade problems. However, because of this, the issues which created the problems in the first place are never fully addressed. This leads to people being unable to grow because they never face their own shortcomings. In this way, they are given a sense of false security which is detrimental in the long run.

This is what happens to both Viren and Claudia. In particular, Claudia makes it clear:

Claudia has grown so dependent on Dark Magic that she would use it even for making pancakes. Instead of simply cooking normally, she sacrifices small animals’ lives unnecessarily. This overdependence leads her to lose her usual nice demeanor when a situation she can’t fix with magic arises:

As in Soren’s case, she has become this way because of Viren’s teachings:

As a matter of fact both father and daughter share the method they use to reach their objectives. That said, Claudia’s internal motivation is different from her father’s. Viren is motivated by the wish to prove his strength. Claudia is instead motivated by the wish to stay together with her family. This is why she always justifies her loved ones’ actions. In this way, she does not have to enter in a serious conflict with them. In other words, she enables them even when she should call them out.

We have seen glimpses of this with Soren:

However, it is with Viren that this behaviour truly becomes toxic:

In the scenes above, it is clear that Claudia is tricking herself into believing Viren. She probably knows deep down that Soren has not misheard. However, it is easier to cling to the illusion that he did because in this way Claudia’s perfect little world does not shatter. In this world, her father is the best person ever and Soren is lovable, but a doof. Still, this world is an illusion and it will naturally disappear no matter how much Claudia tries to preserve it:

In the end Soren leaves and Claudia’s family loses another member. It is interesting that, in a sense, Claudia’s behaviour is the opposite of this:

Villads tells Rayla she can control nothing, but herself. Claudia, though, is doing the opposite. She tries to control everything, but is really not able to control herself. By this, I mean that she is unable to actively make a choice:

When it comes to her family, Claudia can’t choose. No matter that one side is clearly in the wrong, she still can’t bring herself to leave a family member. And this is why she is the one left behind instead. Let’s highlight that Claudia has stayed with Viren not because she has actively chosen him over her mother or even Soren. She  has stayed with Viren because she could not make a choice and so her decision ended up being a passive one. Only at this point, Claudia would cling to what she has left and protect it with all her strength even if she must twist reality (both in her own mind and externally) to do so:

This behaviour is damaging both for herself and for her loved ones. As a matter of fact, by not calling her family out, Claudia is not able to stop their spirals. She helps Soren take out a dragon only for that dragon to wound her brother while he is mocking it.

Something similar happens with Viren as well:

Since the very beginning, it is clear that Claudia’s talent for Dark Magic has enabled her father to perform more and more dangerous magic. Let’s highlight that Claudia is probably not really interested in her father’s objectives. She just wants to help Viren, but she only helps him to self-destruct himself more efficiently. If she had not given her father the corn, Viren and Harrow would not have killed Avizandum and all the terrible things which happened and will happen to her family could have been avoided.

Let’s underline that Claudia enabling her father is true not only from a practical point of view:

The scene above shows that Viren wants to be reassured and to be told that he has done the right thing. So he asks Claudia and Claudia readily tells him what he wants to hear. She knows what he wants to hear because it is what he himself has taught her. In short, Claudia acts as Viren’s echo chamber and repeats to him the same justifications he himself uses. In this way, they both manage to keep their respective illusions alive. They can both keep believing Viren is a good person, even if they deep down know it is not true.

This dynamic explains why Viren favors Claudia so much. He sees Claudia as a personification of everything he is proud of about himself. What is more, this personification looks at him as if he were the best person ever. So Viren sees through Claudia an image of himself he likes.

This is also why he hesitates to show Claudia his cruellest side:

The mission Viren gives Claudia may be the one he cares the most about, but it is also the less cruel. Moreover he does not tell her to choose the egg over Soren initially, but he makes the addition after Claudia asks him. Even when one considers it, he is not asking Claudia to actively kill someone she cares about.

In conclusion, Claudia and Viren put each other on a pedestal and this is damaging for both. In particular, Viren uses Claudia to nurture his ego and to feel better about himself, while Claudia lets Viren go away with everything not to be abandoned. It is because Claudia refuses a conflict with her father that she can neither save herself nor him.

VIREN AND AARAVOS: BECOMING THE MIRROR

Soren and Claudia’s different relationships with Viren are conveyed through their respective reactions to Aaravos:

On one hand Claudia finds her father’s little bug pal cute. On the other hand Soren tries to smoosh it. This is not accidental, but symbolic. As a matter of fact Soren is who Viren is ashamed to be, while Claudia is who Viren is proud to be. Aaravos is instead who gives Viren the chance to truly become his ideal-self.

This is made clear since the very beginning:

The first thing Aaravos does to communicate with Viren is to repeat the man’s actions. This is what a reflection should do, so Aaravos plays the part of Viren’s reflection. To be more precise, he offers Viren what he wants:

Because of this, Aaravos is seen by Viren as a chance to finally become who he wants to be. As a matter of fact it is clear that Viren idealizes Aaravos and ends up depending on him more and more. This is also shown through minor details:

Viren glimpses into Aaravos’s room from his own one, which resembles a dungeon. The symbolism is clear: Viren feels trapped by his own limits and is given the possibility to see a better place and a person who may help him overcome said limits. However, this is an illusion:

Aaravos’s luxurious room is nothing more than a prison. Similarly, the beautiful elf who offers to help Viren is not really Viren’s ideals encarnated, but, if anything, he is his worst instincts:

Aaravos pushes Viren to commit more atrocities than those he has already committed. What is more, the elf interferes in the relationship Viren has with his children:

This is a pretty crucial moment. Claudia asks his father to explain himself and Viren is given the chance to come clean and to use this input to truly reflect on his own actions. However, any feeling of guilt or vulnerability Viren may be experiencing is readily suffocated by Aaravos’s words. The elf invites Viren to only think utilitaristically. So Viren manipulates both his children. In this way, he pushes Soren away and traps Claudia in a dynamic, which will damage her.

In a sense, Aaravos’s lines usually highlight Viren’s hypocrisy and his hidden contradictions:

Viren refuses the idea that Claudia is just an asset, but ultimately this is how he treats both her and Soren. If that were not the case, he would have answered Claudia’s question in the dungeon honestly and would have apologized to both her and Soren. Aaravos simply makes clear something about Viren, which the man refuses. The same happens here:

Viren wants power for selfish reasons (he wants to feel worthy), but he deceives himself into thinking he wants it for others. This is why Aaravos’s words do not sit well with him. Your actions appear much less noble if you are reminded that what you really want is to conquer a nation.

At the same time, it is clear that Aaravos is not really in good faith and that he is using Viren’s insecurities to further his own agenda. This is why he is symbolically taking control of Viren:

Aaravos’s vessel is not the bug, but Viren himself. Aaravos is slowly taking him over. This is symbolically shown by Aaravos “stealing” Viren’s senses:

Moreover, by the end of season three, Aaravos is the one moving Viren’s body to hit Rayla:

In other words, it is not Viren controlling the mirror, but it is the mirror controlling him:

This is highly ironic. As a matter of fact, in his pursue of self-importance, Viren is  being reduced to a shell through which Aaravos can act. However, Viren refuses to face this (as seen through his dynamic with Soren (shame)) and to admit his mistakes (as shown by his dynamic with Claudia (pride)).

CLAUDIA AND SOREN: MORE THAN REFLECTIONS

The analysis up until now has been focused on how Viren objectifies his two kids. He treats them as parts of himself, but they are more than that. This last section will highlight it through their relationship.

First of all, as stated in the first section, Soren and Claudia are very accomplished for their age. They are given adult responsibilities to the point that they are barely treated as kids by their parent:

Viren has shown very little patience when it comes to the siblings’ most childish traits. He is annoyed by their jokes and dismisses their quirkiness as non-sense. This is very different from how the siblings treat each other:

Soren and Claudia are able to express themselves more openly when they are together than when they interact with Viren. This is true also when it comes to calling each other out:

Interestingly, they criticize behaviours they share with Viren. As a matter of fact Claudia scolds Soren for his lack of tact and cruelty and ignores Viren’s mission is far crueller. Soren instead shows disgust for his sister’s magic, but does not dare to do the same to his father’s face.

This shows that, since the beginning, Soren and Claudia are uncomfortable with some traits Viren has. However, they tolerate them both in Viren and in each other out of respect for their parent. This is made clear throughout the series:

Soren finds magic gross, but finds ingredients for Claudia’s spell. Claudia does not want to fight her friends, but accepts to do it. The reason why they both compromise is clearly just one:

They must succeed in their mission. In other words, Viren’s presence, even when he is away, stops them from truly calling each other out and from acting in a way they both feel comfortable with. In a sense, it stops them from growing. Because of this, it is not a surprise that the first serious conflict they have is specifically about their father:

This scene portrays Soren and Claudia serving two different kings (Viren and Ezran). This highlights two differences between the siblings.

The first one is the dychotomy between duty and family/feelings. Given the choice, Soren always chooses his duty (Ezran):

While Claudia always chooses her family (Viren):

Let’s underline that one choice is not inherently better than the other. This is made clear in season two. In this season, we see Soren choosing the mission over his childhood friends. This is his reasoning:

Surely, he wants to please his father, but he also wants to believe it is the best thing for the greater good.

In that same season, we see Claudia giving up on her mission:

Claudia does so because her love for her family is superior to her sense of duty.

In other words, season two shows Soren making the wrong choice out of a misplaced sense of duty, while Claudia makes the right one by trusting her feelings. However, season three shows a reversed situation:

Soren is able to betray his father because of his own sense of duty, while Claudia can’t make herself leave Viren out of love.

In other words, the right choice does not lie neither in “relationships” nor in “duty”. After all, the lines between these two concepts are blurred. On one hand Soren reconciled with his childhood friends and forged new bonds in order to fulfill his duty. On the other hand Claudia would help Viren more if she called him out.

So, in the scene above, what is the true difference between the two siblings? Why is Soren in the right, while Claudia is in the wrong? The main difference lies symbolically in the fact that Soren is protecting a child, while Claudia is enabling a parent. This means that Soren is growing up, while Claudia is refusing to.

Growing up is a process, which often creates conflict between the child and the parent. This is especially true in this context because of Viren’s abusive behaviour. If the two siblings want to grow up, they must escape Viren and become their own people. This is what Soren has started to do in season three. Throughout the season he is able to see his father for who he really is, calls him out and finally leaves him to become who he wants to be.

This is something Claudia is not able to do because deep down she does not want to grow up. This is conveyed, as shown above, by her inability to choose. As a matter of fact Claudia does not want to choose, but to be chosen. This is because a choice implies a sacrifice (a consequence), but Claudia does not want to give up on anything precious to her. What she wants is, instead, that the people she loves always choose her. In this way, Claudia gives up her own agency.

This is clearly a consequence of her mother’s abandonment:

Because of this event, she is stuck in a childish state where she wants to be taken care of and protected. That said, her family members have other objectives, so she gives them what she herself wants (nurture and protection) hoping to receive it from them in return.

Let’s think once again about what Viren tells Callum at the beginning:

Viren claims that Callum (and Ezran) won’t be able to face changes because they have been spoilt. However, the narrative shows that this is not the case. If anything, the fact that Harrow has loved and supported his children is the reason why they can grow up:

Among the main characters, the one who can’t face change is Claudia and this is not because she has been spoilt, but because her mother made her feel unloved.

In short, both Soren and Claudia have developed a sense of worthlessness because of their parents’ behaviour. Soren has developed it because of Viren’s mistreatment, while Claudia has hers because of her mother’s abandonment. Soren tries to overcome his by impressing his fahter and later on he finds a healthier fulfillment in his role of Crownguard. Claudia tries to overcome hers by keeping her family together and toning down its conflicts. Soren defines himself through external recognizements, while Claudia through her relationships with others. All in all, it is the same problem, but it is declined in different ways.

In conclusion, Soren and Claudia are two kids who have been suffering because of their parents. In order to reach a positive outcome they must grow up and become independent (as proven by Soren in season three). In this way, they will naturally tone down some traits, which can be negative if taken to the extreme (love for one’s own strength, hate of conflict). It is probable that they will be able to do so through each other. After all, Soren got his chance to actively redeem himself because Claudia cured him, so it is likely Claudia too will be given another chance (hopefully) through Soren.

CONCLUSION: ESCAPING THE MIRROR

Both Viren and his children are all trapped in a game of mirrors. Viren treats his kids as reflections of himself and his pursue of an ideal self (who is nothing, but a mirage) is destroying his family.

To stop this process, Viren must accept who he is and his mistakes, while Soren and Claudia must claim their own individuality and become independent from their parent. There are several ways this can (or can’t) happen. I am curious about how the dynamics of this family will keep being explored in later seasons.

#tdp #tdp meta #tdp viren #lord viren #tdp claudia #tdp soren #claudia tdp #soren tdp #the dragon prince #the dragon prince meta #my meta #brodigies

[iwillhaveamoonbase]

We Could Be Heroes ch. 7

Runaan gripped the steering wheel as he and Ethari drove to the office of the Xadia Dispatch. “You’re sure your friend’s sister is going to be acceptable?”

Ethari shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t know a lot about her. My friend seems to think so and she’s got the best reputation on that whole paper. Did you schedule an appointment?”

“Aye. I’m not taking any chances to let anyone fuck with my kid.”

Ethari side-eyed Runaan for a moment. Ever since they had told Rayla to move in with Callum, Runaan had been silent on the subject. “I like Callum. I can see that he’s good for Rayla.”

Runaan sighed before running a hand through his long hair. “I do, too. I’ve been keeping tabs on him ever since Bandlr sent that first email. Doesn’t party, doesn’t dabble in dark magic, is known for being respectful towards women and elves. I know it was Rayla who fought telling us when they got serious and he still took half of the blame.”

Ethari was quiet for a moment. Rayla had always been just as stubborn as Runaan and her parents. It was both one of her best and one of her worst qualities. “I just don’t like the world he lives in. I have nothing against King Harrow and everything I’ve ever heard about Queen Sarai was positive. It’s just, Rayla’s been taught to live in the shadows and the sun is going to be on her from now on.”

“Trust me, Ethari, I don’t like it either. No one should live the way he does. Every little thing is picked apart, even his relationship with the King. No wonder he’s tried to keep a low profile since he entered the university. Yes, he lives in the lap of luxury and has never wanted for anything, but if that’s the price, I wouldn’t take it.”

Ethari kept an eye on the map as he hummed in agreement. “It’s coming up, get ready to turn left.”

Runaan moved to the left lane and turned on his blinker. “Got it. Now, if they refuse to let us in, I will run my blade through them until we get to the top floor.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I’m more serious than I am making cake for Rayla’s birthday.”

“Have you talked to Lain or Tiadrin?”

“No, and Rayla hasn’t either.”

“I wonder if they even know.”

Runaan was silent, his fingers minutely clenching the steering wheel. It bothered all of them that Rayla was not in contact with her parents. Lain and Tiadrin had missed far too much and communicated far too little. Perhaps, the honor of being part of the Dragon Guard came with a price far too steep for anyone with a family.

Runaan pulled in to the Xadia Dispatch office, a stylish building that obviously had some human influence if the giant windows and bright white walls with no greenery was any indication. Ethari gently squeeze Runaan’s hand before they parked. This was not going to be easy.

Getting to see the editor-in-chief was, shockingly, the easy part. The moment they stated they were the parents of the elf dating a human prince, the whole office seemed to be in an uproar. There were people coming up to them begging for the chance to interview Rayla. How on Earth any of this got so big so fast was beyond Ethari’s comprehension. It all seemed too fantastic and easy.

When Siobhan, a Tidebound elf, came into the editor-in-chief’s office, he realized just how easy their path had been so far. “I thank you for the opportunity, but I must decline,” came her even and slightly detached answer to their request.

Runaan clenched his fists again, though his face showed no sign of the turmoil Ethari could feel brewing in himself. “Why?”

Siobhan sighed. “The truth is, I don’t approve of their relationship. I don’t think I’ll be fair during the interview. I understand you want someone with integrity, but I’m not the person for the job.”

Ethari jumped in before Runaan could do further damage to the situation. “Then who do you recommend?”

“Everyone here is chomping at the bit for this opportunity.” A nonchalant shrug and a gesture towards the office accompanied her words.

“We don’t want just anyone. This is our niece. How this first interview goes is going to have a big impact on her life from now on. People will remember this. Who do you recommend?”

She looked down and shuffled through the list of reporters that the editor-in-chief had been so kind to give them. “None of these guys. Not her. Definitely not him; he has an anti-human agenda.” After a few minutes of this, she groaned. “It looks like I’m your only real bet. Everyone else has fudged interviews, has an anti-human stance, sensationalized something or other, or is just a bad reporter in general. This is…this is big and you need someone who isn’t going to treat it like a circus or an opportunity to spread their own agendas. I’ll do it, but I can’t promise anything. Once I go down there, I’m not going to hold back. I may very well insult your niece or her boyfriend. Are you alright with that?”

“Can’t you do this without your own bias?”

A snort and a head shake was her answer for a few moments. “See, everyone says they can, but no one does. We all come from places and experiences that have shaped us and our opinions. Emotions can run high during things like this. Not only that, but you have to understand that anyone who sees them is going to be judging something or other. They may judge Rayla’s clothes or Prince Callum’s knowledge on the sky arcanum. They could be judging if they sit too close to each other or not close enough. It’s going to happen and judgements can be placed in the opening and closing paragraphs that we are allowed to have. Not only that, but the editor-in-chief is able to make changes to fit their own rhetoric if they really want. It’s not ethical, but it can happen.

“But it’s even more than that. You said that you’ve met Prince Callum, right? Well, if it was as an introduction as her boyfriend, that means that this relationship is serious. It is possible that this could lead to marriage. And everyone is going to grab a hold on that. Your niece is going to be entering a world, perhaps until the day she dies, that is not as sparkly and shimmery as it appears. There is nothing like it in Moonshadow or Tidebound culture, not even Silvergrove, but I’ve been to a few events held on the border by the nobles of Katolis. It seems like they want for nothing, but they are held so strictly by decorum that any little thing that goes against it reflects not only on them, but on their families. And the world eats every little thing up and twists it until it’s something completely different.”

Ethari turned to Runaan, a tense look on his face. Runaan looked back and nodded, a silent agreement to whatever Ethari decided was best. Ethari sighed before turning to Siobhan. “We’ll take whatever you can give us. Just…try to be kind.”

Siobhan looked straight at them both, flickering her eyes between them. “I swear to be honest; nothing more nothing less.”

Runaan stood and crossed over to her, hand out. “Deal.”

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

Harrow looked over at Ezran as they adjusted their clothes. The rest of the Pentarchy had called an emergency meeting following Callum and Rayla’s announcement. A part of Harrow hadn’t wanted Ezran to come. He knew that there was going to be a lot of tearing down of Amaya and Callum. Ezran had insisted, calling it his duty as the future king and as a member of their family. “Are you ready, Ezran?”

“I’m not. Are you?”

“I’m never ready for a meeting with the Pentarchy. Queen Aanya’s mothers were excellent queens and good people, but it’s not about that. You have to understand that every ruler in there is not just thinking about what they want. They also have to think about their people and how best to serve them. Because Katolis and Duren are the border to Xadia, we are in a unique position and we have to respect that we are a group of five kingdoms trying to find reasonable answers that all of us can live with. Not necessarily like, but live with.” Ezran nodded, still looking a little scared. “When my father took me to my first Pentarchy meeting, he told me that I didn’t have to say a word. I could simply be an observer. It’s up to you if you want to talk or if you want to listen.”

“What did you do?”

“I listened. But this is far more personal than talk about trade. This is about our family. I’m going to have a hard time holding my own tongue, so I’m not going to tell you to hold yours.”

A guard came in, looking annoyed as he saw the two before putting on a neutral face. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, it’s time.”

“And so, it begins.” They walked from Harrow’s room to the meeting room. There were two extra chairs, one for King Ahling’s son and heir and one for Ezran. Harrow stood in front of his throne and gestured for Ezran to stand with him. “We do not sit until everyone has come. King Ahling is a little older and his knee has started to give him trouble, so he is the only one allowed.”

The kings and queens slowly filtered in, Queen Aanya stood the tallest of them all despite her youth and short stature. Prince Kasef tried to stand proud and acted like he belonged there. Instead, he looked like a child that still didn’t know what he was doing. After their greetings, they all sat and looked straight at Harrow and Ezran. It was silent for several minutes, fidgeting galore among the normally to-the-point royals. Queen Aanya shrugged before standing. “No one else wants to breach the topic, so I’ll do it. King Harrow, Prince Ezran. It has come to our attention that Katolis has not only one, but two members of its royal family in relationships with elves. We understand that Katolis and Xadia share a border and its position makes this far more likely than say, Evenere having the same situation. However, it does not change the fact that Xadian influence could start seeping into Katolis and then make its way into the rest of the human kingdoms. In full-confidence, and as clear as possible, we would appreciate answers you can give that will let us know that Katolis still has the Pentarchy’s interests at heart.”

Harrow nodded and turned to the others. “Anyone else have anything they would like to add to the matter?”

King Florian stood up, his arms behind his back. “Yes. Your step-son, Prince Callum, already has too much influence as a member of the royal family and his efforts in becoming an archmage without dark magic cannot be replicated. He continues to spout nonsense about how he accessed sky magic and it has led to nothing. Moonshadow elves can cast illusions, can they not? How does even he know that it’s not all a ploy to get him to the border and this Rayla isn’t there to influence him?”

Harrow waited for someone else to speak up, but the rest of the room fell silent. He stood, letting pride for Callum’s accomplishments seep into his voice. “If I may, I would first like to address my son, Callum. Callum unlocked the sky arcanum by chance when he was seventeen. He had been practicing with a primal stone and got very good very fast. He had grown up around dark magic due to my former councilor, Viren, and his former girlfriend is a dark mage herself. My departed wife, his mother, Sarai, had detested dark magic and her influence caused him to reject it and call it what it is; a short-cut that takes lives that are not the caster’s to give. Viren launched an attack at the castle and Callum had no choice but to break the primal stone to protect Ezran. In a moment of necessity, he took away his one shot at continuing to do magic.

“Viren had sent shadow wolves to in revenge the next night, attacking Callum in his sleep. My son fought the dark magic in him for several days. When he awoke, he talked about sails, and wings, and how the wind and sky relate to everything. I couldn’t understand what he meant, but he drew a rune and used ‘aspiro’ without the primal stone. You’re right, Callum can’t fully explain to anyone exactly what he has done or how he has done it, but he is making efforts to. He’s trying to unlock at least one other arcana so he can. You must all remember; my son is a nineteen-year-old young man who is still learning about himself and the part he plays in Katolis now that he is no longer a child. He is doing his best and I believe he will get there.”

“And what of my second question? How do you know this isn’t all an illusion?”

“Moonshadow elves cannot hold an illusion for more than two years on this grand of a scale. It would be possible if Callum wore something imbued with Moon magic or had a rune forcibly put on him. We already checked for those possibilities. When Callum came with me to visit you two years ago, Queen Fereeda, that was because it was going to take him as far away from the border as we could get. He was stripped of his clothes and checked by healers for any signs of runes, unusual markings, or something lying under his skin. He was then made to replicate every spell he had learned since he began using the primal stone. Callum was still capable of doing magic to the exact same degree he was when we were in the castle back in Katolis. I understand your stance, which is why we had it done in the first place. We couldn’t be too careful, because Viren could have made an illusion as well and was trying to take control of the Pentarchy through Callum.”

King Florian nodded his assent, clearly placated for the moment. Queen Fereeda stood, locking eyes with Harrow. “I remember that trip. It is how King Harrow says it is. Prince Callum spent much of his time on the furthest possible reaches away from Xadia. He also told my own mages to stop using dark magic and try to use the sky arcanum. There was no result. Should my mages have been infected with dark magic, King Harrow? Or perhaps breaking a primal stone is the answer?”

“I can’t answer that question for you. Neither can Callum.”

“It’s been long enough,” the frustration they all probably felt was clear in Fareeda’s voice. “He should have an answer. I have heard rumors that he has officially been labelled as a potential threat to Xadia. My mages think he is a threat to humans. Why should we believe he isn’t? I understand that he is your son, so I ask you not to think of him as your child, but as a king would his subject.”

Harrow leaned back, stroking his chin. Ezran was practically humming with nervous energy, but Harrow saw that there was so much understanding brewing within him. Ezran would make a good king if he continued to have his good heart and understanding nature. “I’m not discrediting your stance, Queen Fereeda, but I must ask: does any of this have to do with the fact that Callum does not come from nobility? It’s not a secret that his mother was from a military family and his father was a poor artist. And this would not be the first time someone has given Callum less credence because of his parentage. Would you trust him more if he was of my blood?”

Queen Fereeda looked like she wanted to say ‘no’, but quickly stopped herself. There was silence until Prince Kasef stood up. “With all due respect to Your Majesties, may I interject?” Harrow nodded his assent with the others. Prince Kasef was not known for being sharp and was more well-known for his hot-headed behavior. But, the point of these meetings was to give everyone a chance to say their peace. “I would trust him more if he was of your blood, King Harrow. He has no real ties to you beyond his mother’s marriage and she passed long ago. He could very well be conspiring with the elves in Xadia and has been this whole time. As for the time in Evenere, what if there was a Moonshadow elf on board who cast an illusion on everyone? Frankly, your step-son shouldn’t have even been in the palace all these years to start with.”

Harrow was about to give a rebuttal before Ezran stood up. “With all due respect Your Majesties, I would like to say something on my family’s behalf.” The nods of assent were all Ezran needed, but he still looked to Harrow for permission. Harrow gave him an encouraging smile. “You say that Callum has no ties to our father. That’s not true. Callum is my half-brother, we share the same mother. His first tie to our father is through me. His second is through our mother, who loved our father and stood by him. His third tie is through the official adoption that took place a mere month after our parents were married. His fourth tie is the familial bond he and our father share, even if it is not by blood. His fifth is through Callum’s loyalty not only to our family, but to Katolis as a whole. I get what you’re saying, but I respectfully disagree. Callum would never act against our father, the only father Callum has ever really known.

“Questioning Callum’s loyalty to the good of Katolis, of human-kind, and all of the efforts our father and mother made is the same as asking anyone else here if they are loyal to the Pentarchy. As for the magic, I understand what Callum says when he talks about it. But I also know Callum better than anyone. There is a method to what he says. Perhaps that time when he was free from all distractions was what was needed for him to understand how it works and there are distractions everywhere now that he’s awake. Everyone is pulling him in a million directions and demanding answers. And when he gives them, they aren’t good enough. He hasn’t even graduated or been able to use any other primal magic. Give him time; he’s getting better at explaining it. This is new territory for the world, not just him. I would never go up to you, Prince Kasef, and demand to know exactly why horses in your country are paler and taller than most in Katolis without giving you time to do your research. And even then, it’s not equivalent. That research has already been done; this hasn’t.”

Kasef glared at Ezran before giving a stiff nod, finally sitting back in his chair besides his father’s throne. Instead of being upset, King Ahling laughed. “Well said, Prince Ezran. Between you and Queen Aanya, I feel like the Pentarchy is going to be in good hands.” Harrow noticed Kasef grit his teeth a bit at the praise.

“Thank you, King Ahling. I will admit that it is selfish of me to want to protect Callum. He isn’t just my brother. He’s my best friend and the one person I’ve always turned to when I’m scared, nervous, or simply so happy I could burst. We are a pair and, when I take the throne, I plan to have him right by my side. There is no one else I trust with my life more. He gave up magic, his destiny, to save my life without a second thought. That speaks more for his character and his devotion to peace and our family than anything I could ever say in this room.”

Queen Aanya stood, slowly looking around the room. “If everyone is satisfied with those answers, then I must ask that we turn to the subject of General Amaya and General Janai’s upcoming nuptials.” Kasef stood up quickly, taking a step towards Aanya. “Why are you the one in charge?”

Aanya raised a brow before slowly looking Kasef up and down. It was painfully clear just how unimpressed she was by his actions. She tilted her chin up and met Kasef’s eyes. “Because I’m the one that called this meeting. My people have benefited from Katolis’ help, but I will not pick a side based on that. I will also not stand back and let a war happen if I can help it. Technically, our war with Xadia has been at a standstill for generations. Battles have not been fought, few killings have been done in revenge, and the Dragon King, as well as the royalty of the Pentarchy, have not been assassinated by either side. I don’t know what’s going on in Katolis, nor do I understand Prince Callum’s ability to use magic, but I do know that I want peace. My people want peace. If Katolis already has two members of their royal family in relationships with elves, then they are closer to reaching an understanding with Xadia then the rest of us. I want answers first, but I would not be opposed to standing behind Katolis and King Harrow if it meant even a simple alliance. We must look past our prejudices and all the hatred that has been spread throughout the centuries and realize that all of this could finally come to an end.”

Kasef looked at Aanya and then at Ezran. “What of dark magic? The elves will not stand down until humans have stopped using it. We will not ask our mages to stop using our best means of protection!”

Aanya snorted before raising a brow. “That’s the most intelligent thing I’ve ever heard you said, Prince Kasef. My mages also do not want to give up dark magic, but Prince Callum’s abilities give us hope. IF he can explain it and it can be replicated, they are willing to give up dark magic. Only a fool ignores the damage dark magic does to the mind and body. If they aren’t willing to use primal magic and the elves are willing to come to an understanding, then they will no longer be under my protection. King Harrow, you are the most aware of the dangers dark magic presents. Please, share your thoughts.”

Harrow waited for Ezran, Kasef, and Aanya to sit before standing. King Ahling was right about Ezran and Aanya, but something about Kasef was not sitting right with Harrow. ‘Maybe he’s trying to prove he can be king when his father dies.’ “You all know the story of how we saved Duren from famine using dark magic. You also know that that story ends with the Queens of Duren and my wife’s deaths. After that day, Viren, my most trusted advisor at the time, continued to offer ‘creative’ solutions using dark magic. I picked and chose which ones to use, but I began to see what my wife had always seen.

“It was starting to twist him and we relied too heavily on magic instead of coming to a decision sooner. Queen Aanya, I apologize for what happened to your mothers. The blame for that day rests just as squarely on my shoulders as it does Viren’s. He suggested it, but I chose to do it. Sometimes it is tempting and there is no right answer. I can’t tell you what to do concerning your mages or dark magic. What I can tell you is that I no longer want it in my kingdom. The only person who is legally allowed to perform dark magic, currently, is the Lady Claudia because she uses it to keep her brother walking. Even then, my son is making efforts for her to discontinue her use of dark magic and she knows that if she uses it for any other purposes, she will lose my support.”

Everyone seemed satisfied with his answer, but Harrow wanted to nip the issue with Amaya and Janai in the bud. “As for General Amaya and the General Janai; they have both spent a lot of time on the border. Through peace talks and mutual respect due to their combat skills, a friendship was formed. Both Amaya and General Janai are private people and have kept some information to themselves, but I have no reason to believe that it is part of some plot to invade Katolis. General Janai has already come to Katolis and has been respectful, kind, and understanding. The Sunfire elves, due to Janai’s high position in their military and her sister’s position as leader at Lux Aurea, have agreed to pushing peace talks beyond the border and as deep into Xadia as possible.”

Aanya nodded. “Anyone else have any other matters?”

King Ahling raised his hand. “I, personally, am all for peace and for the potential future that has been presented to us. King Harrow, my one concern is still your step-son. I respect Prince Callum. He has been quite pleasant, if not quiet, every time I have met him. He understands that Prince Ezran is your heir and has no desire to go above his station.” Harrow gritted his teeth a bit. He knew that him being king was a mere accident of fate. Callum was just as much the future of Katolis as Ezran and it seemed like the world preferred to imagine Callum as a potential usurper or as a shadow. He had taught his sons that they were no better than anyone else because of their stations and to use their stations to help make the world into a better place. Perhaps, the rest of the Pentarchy needed the same lesson. “He needs to either explain the sky arcanum, and human mages need results, or he needs to unlock another and explain that one. Otherwise, I’m going to have to wonder if all of it is an illusion or a carefully crafted ruse. As to how it’s been going on so long, I’m not sure.”

Harrow locked eyes with all of the rulers, paying careful attention to Prince Kasef and Queen Aanya. He would need to talk to Kasef as soon as possible. “I understand and will pass on the message. When I have an answer, I will be sure to call the Pentarchy to meet. Until then, please have faith in my son’s efforts.”

A call to lunch led everyone to leave the hall. Harrow quickly called for Kasef, causing him to stall. “Yes, King Harrow?” His voice was taut and his jaw squared.

“Prince Kasef, I noticed you were upset with your father’s praising of Ezran and Aanya. You must understand, Queen Aanya needs positive influence from the rest of the Pentarchy. She is surrounded by sycophants who would destroy Duren if she let them. It does her good to hear from her peers that she is doing well. As for my son, it’s his first meeting here. I’m quite proud that he has spoken well, but you have spoken well yourself.”

“For a spoiled brat? I know how everyone sees me. I won’t deny, I’m not as intelligent or strategic as Queen Aanya and speaking like Prince Ezran does not come easily to me. My father admires both of them, and your other son, greatly. The last time he came back from Katolis, all he could talk about was the great future mage, Prince Callum, and how Prince Ezran will never have to worry about the same things Queen Aanya did as long as Prince Callum is around. Even if he’s nothing more than a step-prince.” That last word was sneered as Kasef made full eye-contact with Harrow. He must have known how it upset Harrow to hear that word. Yes, Callum was his step-son, but Callum was his son in his heart. He never appreciated the term ‘step-prince’ and had frequently tried to quash it. Unfortunately, the press got wind of it and refused to let it go.

“My sons will not follow my path and are already questioning what is thought to be truth. I admire them myself. Prince Kasef, please, be wary of those who try to whisper in your ear and tell you what the truth is with no evidence.” Harrow gave a quick bow to Kasef and left to join his son and Queen Aanya for lunch. He needed to be around those who saw reason after that headache.

#rayllum #rayllum fanfic #tdp #the dragon prince #we could be heroes #moonbase fanfics #au

[ko-chan-the-blueberry-donut]

Fate’s Divergence Chapter 2

@nyxiia 

@the-bagel-queen

@halfelven-maiden

@magykqueste

@theanxiety-tm

@astraskylark

@that-catholic-shinobi

Hey guys, here is the next chapter. I used a Tel’Quessir translator for this universe’s Elvish.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Dragon Prince

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

Rayla opened her eyes, feeling incredibly groggy. She vaguely registered she was being held gently to someone, and she wondered if her mother was carrying her after seeing them with the Dragon King.

She remembered how mighty her king was, but how gentle he treated her as she pestered him with her attention and questions. The Dragon Queen was amused how her mate doted on the young moonshadow elf. Rayla considered being in their presence, just interacting with them, a high honor, which her parents proudly shared.

The young elf recalled the Dragon King had sensed something was off, and her parents urged her to stay hidden with Runaan as their king and them went to dispose of the threat. However, Rayla, being Rayla, naturally disobeyed and hurried after them, Runaan hot on her heels. Runaan would often tell her her stubbornness would’ve gave him gray hairs if his hair wasn’t already white.

Through her foggy mind, she was able to remember the humans fleeing away from her king. She’s never seen the Dragon King so merciless. It scared her. Her king was going to murder people who were defenseless! Something seized her then—she must beseech her king to give them mercy!

Rayla remembered the woman grabbing her, putting a knife to her throat—

Rayla’s eyes came rapidly into focus then. She saw she was on top of a horse, pressed against a woman. She started shaking, her violet eyes tracing the familiar armor up pale skin towards a gentle face. The woman seemed to have realized she had woken up for she focused her brown eyes on her, worried.

Rayla took her in, her breath quickly shortening. She glanced around in a fast manner, taking everything in at once. There were other humans, some of them riding horses while others walked. They were carting some of their wounded as well. Rayla’s eyes scanned everything before she came upon what they were transporting.

She recognized the magma titan’s heart, its radiating heat unmistakable. Her heart pounded intensely against her rib cage. They killed a magma titan. They ripped its heart out.

“Are you all right, little one?” the woman’s voice asked—her kidnapper’s voice.

Rayla didn’t answer, instead knocking herself off the horse, making the creature startle. The human woman called her, and some other humans eyed them, but Rayla wasn’t registering any of it.

She was too busy vomiting on the ground.

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

Sarai quickly got off her horse, racing over to the young elf girl. The poor child was absolutely terrified, shaking terribly as she emptied her stomach on the ground. She rubbed circles in the child’s back, trying to soothe her. The elf coughed, her puking almost over.

“Easy there, little one. It will be over soon.” Sarai tried to comfort her, continuing to rub her back. She was so tiny—Sarai felt light-headed. This girl was so young, and her way of life had been cruelly ripped from her all because Sarai was a coward.

The elf stopped puking, and as soon as she was able, she backed away from Sarai as if her touch burned the poor girl. She gave Sarai a vicious glare, full of anger and hatred.

“lle sane amin! sana amin eska!” the elf snarled. Sarai blinked, not expecting elvish. She thought the little elf could speak common tongue from her words before, but perhaps she was mistaken? “Lle caela n'uma honor!” she spat.

“You will speak with respect to the queen.” Viren came close to the elf, standing tall, directing his stern gaze at her. He didn’t know what the elf was saying, but he knew it was probably insulting. “Forget about Xadia. You have been given a great honor, elf. Appreciate it.”

“Viren!” Sarai snapped, outraged, ready to defend the child.

Viren didn’t respond for the elf wasted no time in kicking his shin, making him cry out. Her glare was fierce, like a violet inferno. It was clear she didn’t understand what Viren was saying, but she did understand his condescending tone, which the elf did not appreciate.

“How dare you!” he growled at the young elf ready to hit her, but the elf fled. She yelped when Amaya scooped her up, quirking an eyebrow, daring the elf to kick her. The elf hissed something at her but Amaya simply smirking, signing.

You’ve certainly won points with me for kicking his pompous arse, little one. The elf watched, fascinated as Amaya moved her hands. Then Amaya poked her nose, making the elf squeak. But you must behave or else you’ll have to deal with me Amaya wagged a finger at her.

“Amin uma il- rangwa mani lle naa sayien “ the elf told Amaya waspishly, but didn’t dare attack her. She seemed to have sensed Amaya wasn’t one to be trifled with. Sarai sighed in relief, glad at least the elf wouldn’t attack her wounded sister.

I like her. Amaya signed to Sarai. She’s definitely a spitfire. She then tried to hand her off to Sarai, but they could see the elf wasn’t happy being near Sarai, and Sarai couldn’t blame her. Harrow came over to them, worried.

“Is everything all right?” his brow was furrowed as he surveyed the scene.

“The elf attacked me!” Viren exclaimed, gesturing to her.

“You spoke rudely to her.” Sarai countered.

“It’s not like she can understand me!” Viren protested.

“It seems she’s smart enough to understand tone.” Harrow observed, knowing his friend’s view of elves being inferior.

“You’re siding with the elf?!” Viren was offended. Harrow crossed his arms.

“She’s my ward now, Viren. You’re my friend, but I will not tolerate you referring to her in a derogatory way.” Harrow said sternly, stamping down any argument. Sarai was relieved Harrow was on her side. He turned his attention to his wife. “How is she?”

“She’s scared, angry. She doesn’t want me to hold her.” Sarai said sorrowfully, but also in understanding. Harrow watched his wife with sympathy. She was so kind, so loving—this was the first time she was viewed in a negative light by a child.

“Come here, little one.” Harrow gently spoke to the elf, holding out his arms. Amaya handed her off to the king. The elf watched him suspiciously, allowing the transfer.

“Sana amin eska” the elf ordered sourly. Harrow sighed, giving her a reassuring smile.

“Come with me, we’ll ride together.” Harrow told her, hoping she could understand a few words.

“Xadia. Sana amin n'alaquel a' Xadia.” The elf’s lips quivered, gripping his shoulders desperately. It seemed to finally hit her that they could not understand her, and she could not understand them. Harrow pitied her. How alone was she feeling right now?

“You can’t go back to Xadia.” Harrow told her, guilt pooling in his heart. He tried to tell himself he was doing the right thing. If it wasn’t for this elf, Sarai wouldn’t have come back to him—to Callum and Ezran. He tried to tell himself she would grow to love Katolis—he would make sure she wouldn’t want for anything. He would be sure to let her know how grateful he was she was the reason his wife came back safe. Violet eyes seemed to glint with recognition at his words.

“No… Xadia?” the elf ventured, her voice cracking, her hands shaking at his shoulders.

And yet hearing her only made the guilt strengthen.

“No.” he swallowed his guilt. The elf looked around her, at all them watching her, taking everything in. Her attention lingered on the magma titan’s heart before focusing on Harrow again. She took a deep breath, as if preparing herself for something.

“San' amin naa ba.” She said solemnly.

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

Rayla allowed the human man to carry her to his horse, feeling numb, but a little at peace. She remembered Runaan’s words during her training. Moonshadow elves did not fear death, because they accepted that whatever happens, they were already dead. Gazing at the magma titan’s heart signaled her what her fate would be.

She told herself she wouldn’t cry. Warriors did not cry. They died with honor. These humans had none, and she would die by their hand, but if it was her fate, so be it.

Rayla wished she could’ve told her parents, Runaan, and Ethari goodbye. At least to let them know it was okay and she was ready. She would make them proud by staying brave when she died. Perhaps Death would let her watch over her family to protect them from future harm? It was a nice thought—one that comforted Rayla as they rode through land that was foreign to her.

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

There you go! Hope this chapter was okay! Here are the translations to Tel’quessir

lle sane amin! sana amin eska – You took me! Take me home!

Lle caela n'uma honor- you have no honor

Amin uma il- rangwa mani lle naa sayien – I do not understand what you are saying

Sana amin eska – take me home

Xadia. Sana amin n'alaquel a' Xadia – Xadia. Take me back to Xadia

San' amin naa ba – then I am dead.

#rayllum #raylum #sarai #queen sarai #king harrow #rayla #viren #tdp #dragon prince #the dragon prince #canon divergence #canon divergence au #tdp rayllum #rayla x callum #callum x rayla #general amaya #amaya

[medu-nefer]

A bunch of thoughts on Harrow and Viren

Rewatching TDP's first season gives me really really mixed feelings about Harrow and all the good (albeit uncomfortable) vibes from Viren.

Like sure, on one hand Harrow's a good father (except he kept Callum in the dark about his love and probably made him feel like an outsider at times - but Callum still loved him so much, so there's that).

And then we've got the scene where Viren brings the snake to Harrow and proposes the switch. And we're supposed to feel like Viren is selfish because he's willing to sacrifice others rather than himself. And it works. We flinch. We feel like he's above it. It makes us uncomfortable.

But then there's Viren talking to Claudia about his and Harrow's past, and he remembers how close they used to be, how much they meant to each other.

And he decides to do it. To switch with Harrow so the king would live. He's willing to die - and not just that. He's willing to leave his children alone. We know Soren and Claudia's mother lives in another kingdom (Del Bar? not sure if I remember correctly 😅), so she's not really in the picture. We haven't seen any other family member of theirs, so it's safe to assume it's just the three of them. So when Viren dies, presumably Claudia becomes the new high mage and Soren already is a member of the Crown-guard, and a high-ranked one at that. They're not leaving Katolis.

So we have Viren, who is willing to sacrifice his life and leave a huge hole in his children's lives. Say what you will, you can't convince me he doesn't love them. We all know how he feels about Claudia, how she's daddy's girl and how proud she makes him; he gave her the primal stone and is comfortable enough to discuss matters of greatest importance with her. And Soren? He loves him too. It's his son, his heir. When he was telling Soren to kill the princes, he also told him that he would be his successor, the king after him.

And Viren loves Katolis so much. Whatever he does, he does for his kingdom. He's dedicated, focused solely on it. He was right to say the idea of sharing their reserves with Duren was a bad one - a king who cares more about foreigners than his own people doesn't inflict that much love in his subjects; his duty is to his people first and foremost, and he ignored that. He wouldn't really be affected by the famine, he's the king, he'd be the first one to have food put on his table. But the people wouldn't. Still, when Harrow made his decision, Viren supported him and worked super hard to find some help - and he did. He found the legend about the magma titan, who would ensure the survival of Katolis' people and Duren's as well. It was a brilliant idea. Killing one creature to save 100 000 others is a small price, honestly. Queen Sarai didn't like the idea, she preffered not to risk any complications on this front, saying the change would have to come from a different place - but her solution would condemn a hundred thousand people, except her and her family (although she wasn't born into the royal family so her standpoint is more understandable than Harrow's). Viren got the right idea and, what's more, in the process, he seemed to be the one most concerned with the survival of the people. Technically speaking, he performed the ritual, he saved them in more ways than most. And then he came to Harrow, concerned with his safety, proposed a solution, was willing to pay the ultimate price - only to be disrespected and humiliated.

And that's why my feelings are so mixed up. I know we're supposed to like Harrow but I can't help but feel like he's actually a jerk. One that loves his family but a jerk nonetheless.

And Viren? Viren really wants to ensure Katolis' safety. He fears Ezran will be too similar to Harrow, that he too will look after others before his own people, that he's too young and gentle to be a ruler in a brutal war. So he believes replacing him would be a better choice. He wants Aaravos to help him with the other kings and queens because he believes they all need to stand together to defeat Xadians - because if they don't, Katolis will most likely be in ruins. He kept the egg of the Dragon Prince to himself because he knew how Harrow would react - and elves and dragons without Thunder were far less organised, shocked, struggling. Taking both the king and the prince from them meant securing Katolis' position, at least for the time being.

I really don't know where we're going with the show and character arcs. I am aware the targeted audience is kids, so things differ from real life and its logic, but either way, those are my views, at least so far.

#tdp #the dragon prince #rambling #viren #harrow #viren is such an amazing character #i love him so damn much #even if he's a villain #he's so amazing #idk how to feel about harrow #he seems like a (generally) good person #but a shitty king really #and a little bit of an asshole too #also it's 3 am #the perfect time for whatever this is

[rins-rambles]

TDP Actor AU

I miss writing these, so of course I do one for my next favorite hyperfixated show

General

Callum and Ezran’s actors are actually brothers. Since they worked incredibly well together in their auditions they were both chosen to play the roles of the princes’.

This is Ezran’s actors first major acting role

Funnily enough, Claudia and Soren’s actors aren’t related, but many have mistaken them to be actual siblings. Claudia’s actress has called Soren’s actor her “brother from another mother” on her social media plenty of times.

They actually worked together on other shows/movies where they played siblings, so of course it comes naturally to them

Ezran actually acts with a Bait plushie that he now doesn’t go anywhere on set without.

Claudia actually dyed that section of her hair purple, and let Ezran’s actor paint her nails. Although she wears a wig, Rayla’s actress really wants to dye her hair white, and Claudia gives her tips.

A lot of the humor coming from Soren is usually ad-libbed by his actor. Since he sometimes comes up with something funnier than what the writers intended, they sometimes just write “Soren does/says something” and let his actor go wild

Rayla’s actress was a gymnast, which is how she moves so agilely and begged the crew to let her do her own stunts. She was allowed this freedom, but in certain fight scenes they have a stunt double doing the work.

Callum’s actor thought Rayla was just really good at mimicking accents, but she really does have a Scottish accent.

Rayla, Callum, Ezran, Soren, and Claudia’s actors when not on set like to joke around, especially “casting” magic. But instead of saying the spell, they often say, “You’re watching the Disney Channel!”

Claudia and Viren find that the dark spells are just sentences played backwards is both really cool but also creepy

One problem some of the elven actors face is when their horns would fall off during scenes, sometimes for no reason. There are lots of blooper takes so far when this happens, to the point where the actors yell “point!” every time it happens, since they made a bet to the staff that if they would get at least a total of five horn drops in a season, then they would have to treat the actors to a restaurant.

All the elf actors have to wear what they call a “finger glove” over their pinky, so their finger can be CG’d out to show that they only have four fingers. In far away scenes, they don’t worry about it so much, but on close ups, they have to wear the finger glove. 

Season 1

Echoes of Thunder

Callum’s actor integrated his photographic memory and love for art into his character, and the writers went with it

The baker that Ezran steals jelly tarts from is actually one of the directors for the show

Claudia’s actress says that when playing Claudia, she’s literally just being herself.

She says that one time in the past, she did end up running into a tree when reading a book. Her father videotaped it and forever has proof.

Runaan’s hair has gotten caught and tangled with his surroundings on more than one occasion. His horns also sometimes gets tangled in his hair

Harrow and Viren’s actors are old friends, and were surprised to see each other on set when shooting their first scene together. That scene happened to be when Viren goes to offer to switch his soul with Harrow’s

Harrow’s actor begged to be able to throw in the “winter is coming” line, since he’s a huge GoT fan.

However after he’s killed off, he asks the writers if they intentionally made him the Ned Stark of this show because of it.

Pip is actually all CGI, since Harrow’s actor is allergic to birds. But he does have a cat that he calls Pip.

Callum’s actor had a hard time not tearing up when he had to say goodbye to Harrow.

Rayla’s actor tends drops her weapons more often than the other actors do

What Is Done

The two guards who are talking with each other about breakfast are actually some of the writers.

Ezran just made up the combination for the “stone rock” 

Claudia was just told to act like she hated the jelly, and while it tasted a bit like oranges, she called it persimmons, because she doesn’t like those fruits

Claudia has a bit of a hard time moving in her dress down the stairs and nearly tripped a few times. So she was glad that later on her outfit gets changed

But she always liked filming the part where she treats her hand like a flashlight. 

Moonrise

The egg is actually lighter than it looks, made out of thin 3D printed plastic and carefully painted

Viren and Harrow’s actors could barely keep a straight face when Harrow orders Viren “on his knees”, which is why the cameras use more close ups of their faces, since one of the other was trying hard not to crack up

In order to get the “dark” moonshadow elf look, Runaan and Rayla’s actors actually have to get more makeup applied on them, and then get layered on with CGI. They’re both less than pleased about having to spend more time in the makeup chair, but they put up with it.

Callum actually has a hard time saying the spells, because he would sometime stumble on the words. A majority of the blooper reels are of him messing up.

Everyone off set made jokes about Callum being Ariel while Viren was Ursula after Viren takes his voice

Bloodthirsty

Amaya’s actress is actually deaf, and was the first choice to play her character which she happily accepted. She has a brother in the army, and bases some of Amaya’s characteristics off of him. 

She’s grown close to Ezran and Callum’s actors, teaching them ASL and starting to treat them like they’re her actual nephews

Gren’s actor is a close friend with Amaya’s actress, and is usually the one who translates for her outside and during work

The loaf of bread Amaya describes as “weapons grade” is actually a loaf of bread one of the staff members baked, but left it out for too long, so it hardened. They decided to throw that into the script. 

The snail armor line was actually an argument Ezran and Callum had when they were younger

Rayla’s actress was sad when the writers forced her character to cut her braid, since she would spend some time off set to braid it herself

Rayla almost teared up when her character calls Callum out on saying she’s a monster

The cube is made out of thin metal, and there are lights inside that glow when someone off set hits a switch

An Empty Throne

Rayla’s actress does get a bit motion sick, but not to the extent that her character does

The boat ride the three ride on is shot on something like Roaring Rapids 

However, the drop from the small waterfall and the close ups on the actors faces were done on green screens

Amaya’s actress enjoys how much her character calls out Viren on his bullshit. 

Sarai’s actress and Amaya are actually related to each other, and Amaya’s signing to her statue are how she feels about her sister. It’s also thanks to her sister that she even got into the acting industry. 

Through the Ice

Ezran’s actor has an idea of what the talk about “sandwiches” indicates, although when he asks his brother to clarify, he changes the subject

Callum’s actor had to sit down a few times because he lost his breath when performing the Aspiro spell

Rayla’s actress doesn’t like looking at her hand, because she doesn’t like the bruising color it leaves behind.

Running up the stairs and stretching is how Soren’s actor usually prepares to play Soren 

His history is like a see-saw line is ad-libbed which threw of Viren’s actor and he had to adjust to that line

Offset, Claudia occasionally does call Soren “Sor-bear”

The Dagger and the Wolf

Ezran’s actor loves animals, and hopes to either be a veterinarian or an animal caretaker if he ever stops acting

The huge swordsman used to be a wrestler, and agreed to play this part as a favor to one of the writer’s who’s their acquaintance. 

Rayla’s actress had a blast playing “human Rayla”, and the lines that made it in were improvised. 

When getting an idea for Ava and Ellis, the girl who gave the writers some pointers ended up getting the role of Ellis, while her companion wolf got Ava

Cursed Caldera

Callum’s actor claims he had the best pun about the Cursed Caldera and everyone else was just jealous at how good it was

Rayla’s actress hates slugs and was not fond of seeing the CGI monster she’d have to fight off

Runaan’s actor admits that he didn’t like filming his scenes when he’s imprisoned, mainly because he was always cold without a top on. He thinks that the writers purposefully had him without a shirt for many different reasons

It takes roughly three hours in the makeup chair for Viren to get his “corrupted” form done

Wonderstorm

Claudia genuinely thought the “Ka-tallest mountain” line was hilarious which made it easier for her to really laugh on set

Rayla’s actress literally booked it off the set when the mummified person hisses at her

For the effect of the spider-roar, Ezran had to stand in front of a large leaf blower and he actually enjoyed that part, thinking it was funny

While the actors thought that the spiders looked cool, they admitted that they would never want to see them ever get that big

Callum’s “jerkface dance” is actually something one of the writers did for their siblings whenever they had to apologize. Callum is particularly proud of how he got down the movements in three tries. 

The actors all cooed when they got to see what Zym looked like and all demanded that stuffed versions of him would be made available and they’d get theirs first

Lujanne’s actress claims she likes wearing the elven horns more than the ears

She likes to think Phoe-Phoe is based off of her own pet bird that she allowed the team to use as a reference

#tdp actor au #the dragon prince #tdp #tdp shitpost #callum #rayla #ezran #soren #claudia #viren #harrow #amaya

[raayllum]

insp by this post

“Why didn’t you tell me I was wrong?”

It’s a quiet day on the Spire. The winter wind is soft but cold, the clouds parted enough that she can see Avizandum in the distance, collecting snow on his outstretched claw, on the spear she can’t see, embedded in his chest. That was her spear, Callum had said. My mom’s. 

He looks over at her now, a little confused, and she supposes her question had been a little vague. She doesn’t even know what brought it out of her. In the weeks—months—since the end of the war, sometimes her thoughts will sneak up and overtake her, suddenly seized upon a memory, a moment, she’s otherwise forgotten until it hits her again. It happens to Callum sometimes too, although he’s somehow better at not blurting it out with no preamble (a side effect of having big feelings time, maybe?) than she is. The closest they can figure is the month they were travelling, fighting, falling, had so many emotions compressed into it, it could take months and years to fully process and work through all of them.

(As long as she has him by her side while they figure it out, Rayla doesn’t mind it taking time. She didn’t think they’d have time, before.) 

Callum eyes her cautiously. It’s not often she admits she was wrong and they both know it. “Uh...? About what?”

She rests her chin on the knee of her propped up leg, nodding slightly. “Your mum,” she says, voice soft. 

He’s shared more memories of Sarai with her, but not as many as he has with Harrow. Maybe it’s because he had more memories with his stepfather flat out, but she’s also always gotten the sense that Callum holds his mother a little closer to his heart. Kept a little more private.

“When we met, I said humans attacked the Dragon King unprovoked,” she continues. “But that wasn’t true. You didn’t tell me I was wrong. You said...” She closes her eyes, trying to remember. Sometimes she can remember everything he’s said—I’ve been thinking about something someone once told me, about how when one person hurts another—crystal clear and other times the sentences get fuzzy around the corners.

“Oh.”

She can’t read his tone so she glances over at his face. Callum’s brow is furrowed, eyes thoughtful. She waits; she knows he’ll break the silence first when he’s ready.

When he does, his words are slow and steady. “I guess I just... didn’t think you would care? Back then.”

She supposes that Callum didn’t know that she had spared Marcos at that point, either. Rayla waits, though. She can tell there’s something else.

Callum swallows and looks towards the stone king. “And I guess, I mean—Dad didn’t tell us what he was leaving to do, when he left on the mission. Just left us with Opeli and told us he’d be back in a few weeks. And then when the news came, I wasn’t exactly... happy? I dunno, I just—even if him killing Thunder wasn’t unprovoked, that never made it right.”

It’s so utterly Callum—so compassionate and beautiful and soft, yet strong—that it makes Rayla’s heart twist. Her chest aches, half grief for what he’s lost and half love for having him beside her. Wholly love, as she takes his hand, squeezes it, and he blinks rapidly when he looks at her.

She reaches over and wipes her thumb under his eyes, catching his tears before they can fully fall. She thinks of the situation they found themselves in, what they managed to fix, and what they couldn’t fix, heal. The broken state of his family and the marred lines of his lineage. 

“You made it right,” she says, and knows enough of Sarai from Callum, Ezran, and Amaya to know this too. “And I know that your mother would be so, so proud of you.”

Callum leans into her touch and smiles slightly. “Thank you, Rayla.” They lean against each other, his head on her shoulder. The wind lightly tousles their hair. They’re quiet for a long time before he speaks, sounding more like his normal, cheerful self. “You know, my mom would’ve really liked you.” 

“Yeah?” she says, intertwining their fingers.

“Mmhm.” He sets off in a story then, rambunctious and rambling, and Rayla listens. 

She loves knowing that they’re both right. 

#rayllum #tdp #tdp fic #queen sarai #my fic #ficlet #the royal family of katolis #fic #post season three #1x02 #3x06

[princessofgayskull]

some thoughts on tdp

I'm starting to see some anti Claudia and Soren posts and arguments around amongst the heavy amount of discourse and even like I feel like the discourse is so loud but there's something I wanted to say

They didn't do good things. They purposely went out their way to hurt people. Soren set a town on fire to prove something. Claudia kept using dark magic to point where she was flat out reckless. But I'm not ready to scrap my love for the siblings and I'm not ready to give on them just yet.

I understand the argument that nothing their father says or does, no way he treats them, could justify what they did and how they did it. But to me it's not a justification, it's just an explanation. They are on their own without their father for the first time, and it's disastrous. They really really struggle.

Soren struggled his whole life to make Viren proud and nothing was ever enough ever.

Claudia never had to face the idea that there would be no answer because her father handed her the shortcut at such a young age that she built her entire identity around it.

Could you imagine never having an adult who loved you unconditionally? I know a lot of you can. An adult who stopped you from doing something instead of merely rolling their eyes at your antics? A parent who let you fail and explained moral implications of why something that hurts people is wrong? That's not something everyone is born knowing; it's imperative an adult step in at an early age and guide a child into developing a moral compass

You know, like Harrow and Sarai did. Hot take but those boys aren't magically more moral by nature, they just had supremely loving parents who wanted to do the right thing and passed that wish onto their children. Viren was too busy being shady and their mom pulled a firelady ursa.

As for Claudia 'healing' Soren and how that was over the line... Look I have two sisters. If I found out what one them was suddenly paralyzed from the neck down it would be devastating! There is no way I would be acting rationally. No matter how they rationalized or spun. Aside from that, I speak from experience when I say that being disabled in any capacity is not fun! It's not easy to get used to and it's not easy to accept your stuck how you are. And losing so much of your autonomy over night? He's gonna need a fucking therapist because no amount of 'dad can't make me do bad things any more' is gonna fix the fact that his entire identity surrounded his peak physical condition. You grieve for a long time when you lose parts of you like that. And you sure as hell don't heal on your own. He was lucky that Claudia cared, who knows if viren is too far gone to even be bothered?

Of course Claudia was distraught. It's her brother! All her life she's been able to fix things and to get what she wanted with little consequence but now their actions had consequence. Claudia and Soren were supposed to look over each other and she failed. It wasn't right for her to take the deer's life, but I can understand why she felt so pressed to help Soren. If it was my sisters I'd be searching for a miracle too. And there's nothing I wouldn't give up, no price I wouldn't pay, to help my siblings.

Not to mention, there wasn't a single adult to sit her down and help her! (Claudia and Soren are like Zuko without an uncle iroh- and Zuko did some pretty stupid stuff on his own) No one to help her process her emotions or to help her even calm down. Ezran was there, but he's ten. And was struggling with news of his father's death so I don't blame him for not being the most perceptive.

Everything about Claudia's development felt backwards this season. I get that that may for potential development later. But still, if we're throwing in complaints even with the writers right there to reassure us...

I'm still hanging on to Soren and Claudia. I want to see them end the cycle of abuse and villainy, and not become casualties of it.

#the dragon prince #the dragon prince spoilers #also how come callum's 'consequence for using dark magic' is just a fever dream #where he unlocks the secret? #while claudia has to suffer the physical and mental consequences because her father is an idiot #im not digging that dynamic #not she ra

[theredhairedmonkey]

Viren and Callum—Defining Heroism

Callum is a foil for each of the three antagonists, and each season focuses on a different pairing.

During Season 2, Callum’s arc was a foil to Claudia’s. I break down some of the similarities between them here. Callum and Claudia both exhibit a curiosity to learn more about magic (particularly at the Moon Nexus), and both are fiercely protective of those closest to them. To the extent they will use Dark Magic to protect them.

But whereas Callum tries it once and decides to reject it for good, Claudia continues to succumb to this temptation, time and time again.

During Season 3, Callum’s development is contrasted with Aaravos. At this point, Callum is, like Aaravos, a magical prodigy; each had mastered at least one Primal Source they weren’t born connected to.

Additionally, both demonstrate great influence over the lives of those around them. But they are diametrically opposed in terms of their goals. Whereas Aaravos cares primarily about advancing his own interests, Callum wants to genuinely help people, and empower them to make their own choices (as opposed to manipulating them like Aaravos).

This foil can be summed up simply—Callum is motivated by the Narrative of Love. Aaravos is motivated by the Narrative of Fear.

Harrow: “I ask you and your brother to reject history as a narrative of strength and instead have faith that it can be a narrative of love.”

Aaravos: “You tried to win over the other humans with loyalty and friendship, but they ignored you. Those who fail tests of love are simple animals. They deserve to be motivated by fear.”

But the focus here is on Viren and Callum, and starting in Season 1 and throughout the first three seasons, Viren and Callum have very deep, narratively important parallels with one another.

Both are the mages who advise their respective Kings.

Callum: “When you grow up, sometimes you have to face things you’re not ready for.”

Viren: “He insisted I stand next to him in the painting, because he knew I would stand by him through anything.”

Both are curious and want to explore the depths of magic to the greatest extent possible.

Viren and Callum are also both insecure in their place in the world, relying (at least initially) on magic to help give them a sense of belonging

But their differences not only define their dynamic, they also define many elements and themes to the Saga, in particular as to what it means to be a hero.

To begin, Viren is great, though not necessarily good. That is to say, even though he may be capable of great deeds that save countless lives (such as in saving the people of Duren with the heart of a Titan), these deeds don’t actually make him a heroic person.

This is because every great deed he did stemmed not from altruism or compassion (no matter how well he convinced himself that it did), but from his tragic flaws: his arrogance, his vanity, and importantly, his hubris—his belief that he can subvert the natural order in his favor without consequence.

From what we can gather, Viren is a force to be reckoned with. His skills with magic have made him so powerful, he can cast a spell that would save two kingdoms from starvation.

They are also such that he’s considered by Amaya, a talented warrior herself, perhaps “the most dangerous human in the world.”

His martial prowess is quite exceptional as well, as he’s able to go toe to toe with two Dragonguards for a time. Even though they’re elite fighters and they’re flanking him, he’s able to hold his own for a while before having to resort to magic.

However, Viren is a tragic character. I don’t mean this in the sense that we should feel sorry for the power-hungry man who attempted to murder two boys and steal the throne. Rather, his “greatness” is undermined by his personal flaws, which he can’t quite shake and prevent him from being good.

Part of Viren sincerely wants to improve life for his people. When talking to Aaravos, to whom he has no motivation to lie, he states his aim is to help mankind flourish “without a knife to its throat”

He’s even willing to consider sacrificing himself, either for King Harrow or, in Lux Aurea, for his army.

Aaravos: “We’ll risk as few lives as possible. One.”

Viren: “Ah. Mine.”

But as per his hubris, he exhibits great pride in how his abilities can help mankind flourish or save his people. While he wants mankind to prosper, he wants this to be his achievement and wants people to know that he is the one who saved them.

In his story to Queen Aanya, he places a bit of undue emphasis on the fact that he was the one who up with a solution that saved Katolis and Duren. Whether or not this is what happened, it’s clear that he wants Aanya to know that he personally saved her kingdom.

A little less unclear is how necessary he ultimately was. Sarai goes back to save Viren because “without him to perform the spell, the heart is worthless, and this was all for nothing.”

I’m...skeptical as to whether this is what Sarai says, or if it’s Viren intentionally or unintentionally reading in what he wants her to say. Truth be told, Viren has no idea if this is what Sarai said because he wasn’t there when she said it. And why is the heart worthless? Viren wasn’t the only Dark Mage in the world, and probably not the only one between Duren and Katolis. There’s no reason why another mage couldn’t perform the spell.

But for Viren, the heart of the Titan might as well have been worthless because, in his mind, he’s the only capable of accomplishing these great feats.

Even when he was potentially willing to sacrifice his life for Harrow, he botched it with his  speech to Harrow.

Viren: “Right now I do not come to you as my King. I think of you as my brother.”

Truth is, none of this throat-clearing is necessary. But, Viren’s not quite so humble, even when he’s attempting to do the right thing. He still wants to be seen as someone special, even when laying his life down for another.

Turns out, this was entirely the wrong thing to say to Harrow, who is put off by Viren’s self-righteousness.

Harrow: “I see the problem now. It’s that you believe you are special. Better than everyone else, above the laws of this kingdom.”

When he’s forced to kneel and Harrow calls him a servant, this infuriates Viren and he sets aside any plans he had to sacrifice himself for his King.

Harrow: “You are a servant of Katolis. You are a servant.”

Because if Viren is going to sacrifice himself, he needs people to know what a great thing it is that he’s doing. He’s not a mere servant, he’s their savior.

It’s interesting that Viren’s pride is so hurt of being called a servant of Katolis, since that’s exactly how Harrow sees himself, according to Viren.

Viren: “King Harrow worked tirelessly. He told me he thought of himself as a servant of all the people of Katolis. A servant King.”

But Viren doesn’t see himself in this way. When his potential sacrifice is treated with the same level of significance as though he were anybody else, it offends him that he has to share that importance with others.

And thus, his pride leads to his downfall, casting aside his desire to protect his King, and replaces it with a desire to be the King himself.

Viren: “Today, we must mourn sevenfold. For tonight, there will be a coronation.”

Callum, on the other hand, begins his journey on the opposite side of the spectrum from Viren. Whereas Viren can accomplish great feats without being good, Callum is a good person, though not great.

At least, not yet.

According to the main site, “Callum has a big heart, and always tries to do the right thing.”

He can be super proud of himself and his accomplishments, but he usually has enough perspective to avoid letting this get in the way of what he knows is important. For instance, he connects to the Sky Primal, something thought of as impossible for humans, he immediately shifts his attention to Ezran, never once bragging or reminding people of his accomplishments.

Corvus: That’s incredible, Prince Callum.

Callum: Thanks…uh, who are you?

And, when it comes time to laying his life on the line for others, he never hesitates. Notably, around the same time as Viren was thinking about sacrificing his life for Harrow, Callum was preparing to sacrifice himself for his actual brother, but with none of the bravado or self-righteous congratulating of himself.

Just a solemn, quiet attempt to save his brother, even at the cost of his own life, and even without anyone finding out about his sacrifice.

For Rayla, he performs Dark Magic, knowing how much she could possibly hate him for it, but deciding that her life is worth more than how she sees him.

Callum may start out with a big heart, but when it comes to his skills, well…

But if Viren begins as both powerful and amoral, it makes perfect sense to have Callum’s arc to begin as his opposite--someone without any special abilities but with a strong moral compass.

Because of this, we get to see him go from good to great. And his story walks this fine line, where he develops these magical abilities to perform heroic feats walking hand in hand with the realization that he doesn’t need magic to be heroic.

Callum: “It’s up to us now. We have to return this egg. We have to keep it safe and carry it to Xadia.”

Callum has the same temptation as Viren—this need to be someone important, which is a big part of his arc in S1 and S2.

In S1, he initially places a high premium on his sense of self-worth, willing to put their mission in jeopardy just so he can obtain an object that might help him become a better mage.

He assigns great importance to objects (such as the Primal Stone and the Key of Aaravos) rather than focusing on people or lives. Much in line with the way a Dark Mage would attach significance to magical components that are needed for spells.

Callum: “The truth is, its not me. It’s this. All the magic, all the power, all the confidence. It's just because of this amazing thing. A Primal Stone.”

Ellis: “That Primal Stone needs you to do all that amazing stuff. Without you, it's just a neat, glowy ball.”

Callum: “I guess so. But without this, I'm nothing. Just a guy who can draw and make wry comments from time to time. And they're not even that wry.”

Much like how Viren assigns great value to the mirror or the Dragon Egg, even above his own children’s lives.

Viren: “The egg. If you have to choose [between Soren and the egg], choose the egg.”

But by the end of S1, he realizes just how much more important the lives of his friends and the Dragon Prince are over his own sense of pride or self-worth. Unlike Viren, who places a great degree of importance to his sacrifice (honestly, Harrow should be honored that Viren would consider throwing himself on the sword for a mere king), Callum simply makes the realization of what he needs to do…and then does it.

S2 follows the aftermath of his decision, and Callum has to deal with no longer having his mage abilities. Again, he latches his entire sense of self-worth to be able to do magic.

As @raayllum​ points out here, he also aligns his ability to do magic to agency. Without magic, he’s paralyzed by indecision and an inability to do the right thing. He believes himself imprisoned by his inadequacy.

Callum: “If we're really going to change things, we can't just watch while humans and Xadia keep hurting each other. But how do I take a stand? Believe me, I want to go down there with you, and be the heroes who stop all the fighting and save the day, but I can't do that. I can't do anything!”

And he follows this line of reasoning to its logical conclusion:

Dark Magic

Dark Magic gives him all the power he needs. If Callum wants to be special (like Viren), if he wants to have agency and freedom for himself, this is the path he can take.

Dark!Callum: “You can have unlimited power, and you can choose what to do with that power.

And in that moment, he’s tempted. Truly, he’s tempted, to commit to this path, set himself free from his past limitations and feelings of worthlessness.

He can become like Viren, and make himself great…but in a moment of clarity, he sees Dark Magic for what it truly is.

This isn’t freedom. It’s not the power he wants.

It’s just another prison.

And unlike Viren, who succumbs to this temptation, Callum sees through it.

What’s noteworthy is that Callum doesn’t press on the point that it’s possible for him to learn an Arcanum and do magic some other. He doesn’t insist he can make this choice easy on himself; he chooses that, Arcanum or no Arcanum, this is not the kind of magic he will choose to do.

Callum: “Destiny is a book you write yourself!”

Instead of attaching his sense of self-worth and agency to magic, he breaks free of this toxic cycle and seizes the ability to direct his own fate.

This is a lesson that he then passes on to others.

Rayla: “What does this mean? What should I do?

Callum:  “I don’t know. But it’s your choice. No one else’s.”

He finds his agency and self-worth independent of his ability to do magic, and realizes that his potential is actually in his complete control. Fittingly, it’s this realization that completes his journey to finally understand the Sky Arcanum.

In the end, Viren and Callum are quite similar, but the former lets his flaws get the better of him, his pride sinking him until he becomes malicious, grasping, and power-hungry. Eyes set on stealing the power to make him important.

The latter ascends past his prior limitations, refusing to yield to his own worst impulses.

Moreover, Callum holds on to his ideals in the face of adversity, even at his own expense, while Viren constantly tries to find “pragmatic” and expedient solutions to problems that always happen to end up with him on top of everyone else. Viren continues his dramatic decline, eagerly crossing one moral horizon after another, until by the end, he admits to Aaravos what he is really after is conquest; he’s willing to steal Zym’s life force just to become more powerful, sacrificing the entirety of his army to do it.

Callum, on the other hand, begins to truly understand what can make a good-natured person into a hero.

He expresses it in a speech about Rayla…

Callum: “It's because Rayla is a hero…Rayla saves people. She's brave. She does what's right, even if it puts her own life in danger, and even when the odds seem impossible. Even when it means her own people might misunderstand and turn against her. Rayla is selfless, strong and caring. That's what makes her a hero. That's what makes her Rayla.”

…and then proceeds to do each and every one of those things on the pinnacle. He bravely leaps after Rayla--even though it put his own life in danger--because it’s the right thing to do. Even though the odds of quickly mastering a complex spell on the way down seemed impossible.

Viren thinks his great feats are a substitute for a good character. Callum’s journey, on the other hand, is learning those character traits that make one heroic. He realizes, not only that Rayla is “selfless, strong, and caring,” but also why and more importantly, why he can be those things too.

And this dynamic between Viren and Callum culminates in the finale, where one falls…

…and the other rises.

#callum #viren #rayla #ezran #harrow #tdp #the dragon prince #s2 #s3 #s1 #aaravos #primal magic #dark magic #soren #claudia

[shy-badger]

A Strange Moment in Time Ch4

King Harrow felt the first groggy conscious thoughts mull about in his mind trying to wake him, and stubbornly resisted their call to rise. He rolled over to cuddle with his wife, hoping it would help lull him back to sleep, only to find the bed empty. At last giving up his plans to extend his slumber, Harrow sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Looking around the chamber he did not see Sarai, however he did see his two sons, sleeping soundly on a mattress at the foot of his own bed.

After a moment of wondering why Callum was in the King’s chamber instead of his own room, The previous day’s events all came rushing back to him. So many impossible things happened, and so many seemingly impossible things learned that he had trouble believing it wasn’t just a dream. However it would not take long before he received proof that it was all real.

Sarai slowly opened the chamber door, and seeing that Harrow was awake, whispered to him.

“Harrow, come quickly, you have to see this.” She beckoned to him.

Harrow quietly rose from bed and slipped on his shoes, following his wife down the tower to a hallway overlooking the courtyard. The sounds of combat practice echoed from an open window, and when he looked down below, he smiled at what he saw.

Callum blocked both of Rayla’s wooden swords with the top of his practice staff, then tried to use the bottom of it to swipe at her legs. Rayla jumped back just in time to avoid being tripped and then she stabbed. Callum pivoted and returned with a stab of his own. Rayla blocked with her left and swung high with her right. Callum ducked and tried to upper cut with the bottom of his staff, hitting nothing but air. Rayla downslashed with both swords and was blocked by the staff. Instead of backing off she pushed hard, forcing Callum to try and resist, slowly losing ground.

“My my, Prince Callum, have you been putting on muscle?” Rayla said coyly as she gained another step forward.

“What are you talking about? I’m still losing here.” Callum scoffed.

“Mm yeah, but I have to try harder now.” Rayla said. All at once she stopped pushing and let Callum slide past her, swiping at his back. The solid thunk told her that she had hit her mark.

“And I win again. You’re gettin good though. Not Moonshadow assassin good, but good.” Rayla giggled as Callum pouted, rubbing his back. She grabbed him by the collar of his coat and pulled him into a kiss. “I’m really proud of how far you’ve come.”

“Ugh, You guys know you won’t die if you go five minutes without kissing each other right?” Princess Sarai said from ten feet away in front of an archery target, clearly looking grossed out by her parents public display of affection.

Callum rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly shy, while Rayla mocking looked confused.

“Really? That can’t be right. I’m pretty sure we won’t last that long. In fact, we better double up just to be safe.” Rayla joked as she pulled her husband in for another kiss.

“An archer must be aware of her surroundings, without being distracted by them. Back to your exercise little one.” Runnan said impatiently.

“Yes Grandpa.” Rayla wined, turning back to her target. Knocking an arrow she did her best to steady her breath, and fired, hitting mere inches away from the bullseye ring. A few seconds later another arrow landed next to the first. As she lined up her third shot, Runnan used the feathery flights of an arrow to tickle Sarai’s ear. Sarai pulled all of her focus to hit the target. As the arrow left the bow, Sarai immediately turned around and fidgeted with her ear to stop her grandfather from tickling it further, not even seeing if she hit her mark.

“Hey! What are you doing?!” she screamed.

“I’m testing your focus, and you passed. In fact, it would seem you perform even better under stress, than you do normally. A good skill to have, my pupil.” Runnan almost seemed to gloat as he used the arrow to point at the target. Sarai was still annoyed when she followed his direction, only to instantly put her hand to her mouth. The arrow had struck dead center, so perfectly that the arrow even went between the woven circle in the middle and buried itself all the way up to the flights.

“I did it? I did it! Ma, Dad, look! I hit the center!” Sarai jumped for joy and pointed at her work.

“Way to go sweetie. I knew ya could do it.” Rayla doted.

“I knew it was a matter of time. You’re pretty awesome sweetheart.” Callum added.

"You guys look like quite the happy family." A voice called from the window over the courtyard.

Callum looked up to see Queen Sarai waving at them. 

"Hey guys give me a minute. I want to go talk to… my mom." A smile crept on his face with those last words. 

“We’ll be here, love. Take your time.” Rayla said, patting his arm.

As he left the others behind, he couldn't help but quicken his steps. Yesterday was full of hurried explanations and hard realizations. Today was new, though. He could actually sit down and just talk to his own mother. The woman that was stolen from him so long ago. He had so much he wanted to say and to ask. He didn't know where he would begin.

#Fanfic #Rayllum #Callum #Rayla #Harrow #Sarai #Runaan

[iwillhaveamoonbase]

We Could Be Heroes ch 3

“Does my hair look OK?”  Callum had fussing with his hair for the past five minutes.  Rayla had finally gotten him to sit on the couch and had her hands on his shoulders.

“For the last time, Callum, it looks fine.  Shouldn’t I be the one that’s nervous?  I’m meeting your family after all.”

“Yes, but I have never introduced anyone to Harrow before.  Everyone I have ever known has been someone he also knows.”

“Is Janai going to be there?”  Rayla released his shoulders when he stopped squirming and reaching for his hair.

“No, she had a last-minute conference with the other leaders of the Sunfire Army.  Apparently, the press in Xadia has started to question if their marriage is all a ploy to get Katolis into the Dragon King’s good graces.  Gren probably won’t be there, either.”

Rayla shifted her shirt a bit before running a hand through Callum’s hair.  “That’s Amaya’s interpreter, right?”

“Yes, and thank you for messing up my hair.”

“You’re welcome.  I’m going to sit in that chair,” she pointed at the same one she sat in when Runaan told her to leave, “and you’re going to relax, got it?”

“Yep.  Totally relaxed and ready.”  Callum moved his shoulders up and down and rolled them forward.  He couldn’t help but be jealous at Rayla’s cool as a cucumber attitude.  “Are you really not nervous?”

“I’m just better at hiding it,” she sat down with a shrug.  “Part of Runaan’s training regime.”

“I’m going to have to take lessons from him, then.”

“Probably.”  They stopped as they heard the incoming call sound from Callum’s computer.  “You gonna answer that?”

“Yeah.”  Callum pressed the answer button and his frozen smile caused Ezran to laugh.  Ezran sat in the middle with Bait firmly in his lap.  Amaya was on the left while Harrow was on the right.  They smiled and waved to him.  It wasn’t often the four of them were able to spend time together anymore.

“What did you do, Callum?” Ezran asked, a mischievous smile on his face.  He had grown since Callum had last seen him and was that a bit of peach fuzz on his chin?  Had it only been a few months?  That was the only thing Callum couldn’t stand about living on the border; he was too far away from Ezran and was missing these little moments.

“What makes you think I’ve done something, Ez?”

“You have that guilty look on your face.  Is it about Raayylllaaa?  Dad, you remember me telling you about Rayla, right?  Callum’s definitely-not-girlfriend even though she came over several times while I was staying with him.”

Harrow chuckled as he put his hand on Ezran’s head.  “Yes, Ezran.  You’ve told me all about Callum’s not-girlfriend.”  Amaya signed her acknowledgment from the side.

Callum’s eyes went wide.  “He told you, too, Aunt Amaya?”

Amaya nodded before continuing.  “To be fair, Ezran only told me after Janai and I announced our engagement.  It’s just the four of us that know, well, five because Janai knows.  Now, does this have to do with Rayla?”

“Yeah, Callum.  Does it?”  Ezran’s smile was so big it looked like it was trying to take over his whole face.  Bait was squirming in Ezran’s lap before turning bright red.

“Actually, it does.  Um, Dad, Aunt Amaya, I want you to meet Rayla.  My girlfriend.  Ray.”  Rayla came over and sat next to Callum, her callused hand meeting his.  “We’ve been together for about a year now.  I didn’t want to hide it for so long, but with how much animosity is still going on with me going to school on the border and-”

Harrow raised his hand before smiling.  “You don’t have to explain yourselves, Callum.  Amaya and Janai have kept their relationship a secret for a long time, as well.  It’s nice to finally meet you, Rayla.  Ezran hasn’t stopped talking about you since he met you a few months ago.”

Rayla dipped her head as she took in Callum’s family.  “It’s nice to meet you as well, Your Majesty.  I wish it could have been in person, but Callum and I didn’t feel right hiding anymore.”

“Are you two happy?”

“Yeah, your son makes me happy.  He also makes me want to pull my hair out when he starts getting really into arcana and primal magic.”

Callum translated as Amaya signed her input.  “‘He did the same thing as a kid.  Every time he picked something new to draw, it was all he talked about.’  I am not that bad.”

“You are.  But you’re cute, so we forgive you.”  Rayla gentled patted his hand as Ezran started jumping up and down in his seat.

“So, are you going to be my sister, Rayla?  Because there is so much I want to talk to you about.  And I’m definitely going to you for relationship advice because Callum was a total mess with Claudia and he doesn’t seem to be much better with you.”

“One day at a time, Ez.”  Rayla looked over at Callum as a resigned look came over him.  “What, no ‘I was not that bad?’”

“No, I was pretty bad.  I’m still a mess half the time.”

“Called it,” Ezran whispered to Bait.

Harrow coughed, causing Rayla and Callum to turn towards him.  “That’s a good sign, though.  I know I seemed to be pretty smooth with your mother, Callum, but I had a hard time talking to her the first time I met her.  And the second.  And the third.  I think the only time I wasn’t a mess on the inside for the first month was when we were sparring.  And when I met her again after she had you, it was like I was that love-struck teenager all over again.”

Amaya nodded her head.  “Your father tripped over his own feet after his first date with Sarai.  The first time he showed her one of his scenic paintings, he looked like he was going to faint from nerves.”

Callum nodded his head from side-to-side.  At least he wasn’t alone.  “Well, it’s good to know that both of my dads were completely useless when standing next to my mom.”

“Your mother was a beautiful woman, Callum.  Smart, strong, and compassionate as well.  She was an excellent queen for the short time we had her.”

Callum gripped Rayla’s hand a little tighter.  “I wish she was here.”

“She would be proud of you.”  Harrow completely held Callum’s attention as he leaned forward.  “Sarai never felt right about dark magic, but respected my friendship with Viren.  It was the one thing we never could agree on and you have picked up exactly where she left off without realizing it.  You have inherited her compassion and conviction.  Never forget that, Callum.  Now, Miss Rayla, you should know that I don’t approve of just anyone dating my son.”

Rayla grinned before ruffling Callum’s hair again. “I’m pretty sure you’ll approve of me.  I’m pretty daring after all.  I’m sure Ezran’s told you all about it.”

The laugh that escaped Harrow filled Callum with warmth.  “You’re right, he has.  Ezran already loves you like a sister and I can see that you make Callum happy.  Just take care of each other, that’s all I ask.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“None of that.  Please call me Harrow.”

Callum smiled.  Rayla was getting along swimmingly with his family; he couldn’t have hoped for anything more.  The dark storm cloud that had been over their heads since Bandlr came into his apartment suddenly made itself known.  “Dad, there’s something else we need to talk about.  It’s really important.”

“What is it?”

Callum felt guilty as he saw his family suddenly become dead serious.  This should have been a happy moment, in person.  Instead, he was going to have to ruin it.  “Claudia and another Moonshadow elf on campus know.  Claudia isn’t going to say anything and she’s beyond ecstatic, but, this student…he’s going to start telling people about us tomorrow.”

“Why would he wait until tomorrow?”

“Because I asked him to wait until I told you three first.  Family is important in Xadia and he agreed to wait until you knew.”

Rayla sighed.  “His name is Bandlr.  His uncle has been friends with one of my uncles since they were kids and the town we grew up in is pretty small, so we tended to be in the same social circles once we got into high school.  He’s been quite adamant about me dating him and Callum’s ability to use Sky magic without a primal stone has done nothing to endear him to the masses.”

Harrow ran a hand down his face while Amaya’s went through her hair.  Ezran’s concerned face almost tore Callum apart.  He and Ezran had always been a team; he never wanted his brother to look scared for his sake.  “Do you think someone will hurt either of you two?”

“Dad-”

“I’m serious, Callum.  Do you think someone plans to hurt you?”

“We don’t know.  That’s the biggest reason why we’ve kept this secret for so long.  The only real rules on the border is that humans and elves can’t kill each other.  There is almost no violence.”

Rayla pushed forward a bit, clearly not content to let Callum try to make it seem like less of a big deal than it actually is.  “But it doesn’t change the face that there are elves all over Xadia who have deemed your son dangerous, Harrow.  His rejecting dark magic isn’t good enough; they think he’s playing with something he really, really shouldn’t.”

“What do you think, Rayla?”

Rayla paused for so long Callum wasn’t sure if she was even going to answer.  “I don’t think Callum would ever hurt anyone on purpose.  I also think that his repeated rejection of dark magic is a step in the right direction.  His desire to learn how to use all the arcana, however, is something that I don’t understand when I think about it from the Xadian standpoint.  We are born into one primal source and can only use one primal source.  Those who try to get access to other arcana, outside of primal stones, tend to stop having the world’s best interest at heart.  When I think about it from Callum’s, it’s because he’s curious and being a mage is something that he was meant to be.  He’s also in a unique position because there have been no other human mages who are capable of using primal magic without a primal stone.  I know he hasn’t accessed anything he isn’t supposed to, but neither humans or elves are going to just take our word for it.”

Harrow gave a small smile as he mulled her answer over.  “A good answer.  A wise answer.  My son is quite lucky to have you by his side, Rayla.”  The light purple blush that appeared on Rayla’s cheeks almost made Callum forget what the conversation was about.  It had been a long time since he had seen her blush like that and it was just as adorable as the first time he saw.  “I can’t send the Royal Guard, because it could be seen as a threat or Katolis trying to exert power on the border.  The point of the university was that it is supposed to be a neutral zone and the surrounding area was supposed to follow suit.  If I pull you out, it will undermine what you and I have worked so hard for, Callum.  It would undermine what your mother had dreamed of.  This university was her brainchild before we even got married.  What do your parents think about this, Rayla?”

“My uncles know I can take care of myself.  They’re more scared for Callum than they are for me, in terms of physical danger.  Their main concern is how the press is going to react to me.  We don’t have nobility or royalty besides the Dragon King in Xadia.  All of our leaders are elected officials who could be replaced at any time, so it’s new territory for everyone.  They don’t want to pull me out, but they’ll do it if they think it’s necessary.”

Amaya quickly began signing, her eyes betraying the concern she was trying to contain.  “The only real option we have, politically, is for the two of you to stay there.  If you run away, then it will give everyone more ammo against Callum, Katolis, and all the work that has been put into peace talks.  I know that Moonshadow elf culture does not take kindly to cowards and deserters, Rayla.  So, you’re just as trapped as Callum.  This is different than when Janai and I got together.  There is more at stake given Callum’s position and where you two are.  I don’t like it, but it’s the only advice I can give you.”

The silence was deafening.  Callum had never wanted Rayla to feel trapped. He squeezed her hand again as he looked at her. “Ray, we have until tomorrow.  You can send messages to our professors that you had some family business to take care of.  Runaan and Tinker can protect you and I’ll tell the press we broke up.”

Rayla turned to him with a raised brow.  “I’m not running away, Callum.”

“It wouldn’t be running away if you were trying to save yourself.  No one has to know what happened tonight.  No one here will say anything.”

“Then what was the point of us doing this?  What was the point of me telling my uncles I’m with you?  You told me that you didn’t want to hide anymore.  I agreed not to hide and now you want me to walk away?”

“What do you want me to say?  ‘I’m sorry that I didn’t realize just how much bigger this was than the both of us?’  I am!  I didn’t want to do this to make it so you can’t leave me.”

Rayla snorted, giving Callum a ‘are you kidding me?’ look.  “Do you think I wouldn’t leave you if I wasn’t happy?  That wouldn’t be taking the coward’s way out; that would be making a smart decision.  No one is making me stay in this relationship.  We made a choice and we have to stick with it.  If you give up on us now, I’m not coming back.  I’ll pack up my stuff and I’ll go back home.  You will never see me again.  Is that what you want?  If it is, I’ll get started right now.”

“Of course it’s not what I want.  But-”

Rayla quickly turned away from him and back to the screen.  “Harrow, is it possible for Soren to be officially stationed up here?  We need one more person in our corner besides Claudia, and Soren can technically come and go as he pleases.  We will also need to talk to the press, on our terms.  I don’t know if TV is better, but I know Callum has always exclusively dealt with the newspapers.  I’m all in, and I’m not sure how to go forward.”

Callum felt like the world had gone upside down as Harrow, Amaya, and Rayla discussed their next steps.  Rayla had completely taken control and wasn’t going to back down.  Ezran nodded his head and gave the names for his favorite newspapers and photographers.  “You guys should also be interviewed by Opeli.  She’s done a lot of press work lately and will only ever state the truth.  She’s always been either honest or silent, so I’m sure everyone will believe what she says.  She only does press releases, though.”

Harrow nodded along with Ezran’s suggestions.  “There is also no one more loyal to the throne and the good of Katolis than Opeli.  She would be a good choice, Ezran.”

“You’ll have to get a new wardrobe, Rayla.  Callum once wore a suit that was a little tight around his ankles and he was laughed at for months.”

“Just for interviews.  There is no need to get anything more formal.  We’ll let everything die down until the summer before either bringing you to Katolis or Ezran and I will go up there.”

Rayla looked down at her clothes and grimaced.  “I don’t really have the money for anything expensive.”

Amaya quickly interjected; a smile had made its way back to her lips.  Ezran translated for her as Callum was taking everything in.  “Janai and I will take care of it.  We both have money from our time in the military and it would keep Harrow from getting into hot water with the public for using taxpayer money to buy clothes for someone outside the royal family.  I will also send over our favorite journalist.  They’re in an elf-human relationship themselves and will give the outmost respect to the situation.  They’re pretty busy covering relations in the Oceanheart capital, so it might be a few months.”

“Thank you, General Amaya.  That’s very kind.”

“’Amaya’, please.  Just promise me you’ll make my nephew happy as long as you two are together.  And don’t talk to anyone that we have not approved.  It’s not that we don’t trust your intuition; you just can’t trust the press.”    

“Got it.  They’re all the blood-sucking leeches humans used to believe elves are.”

The snicker that went through the room finally brought Callum back to reality.  “Just don’t call them that.  They’ll eat you alive.”

“Are you still alive, Callum?”

He nodded before sighing.  “I’m here.  Just shocked that you seem to be so on top of this.”

“I’ve been thinking about this since Claudia and Bandlr found out.  I’m not going to let someone else dictate our choices.  So, I’m going to make sure that we take back control of this situation.  We’re in this together, right?”

“Right.  What about radio?  Does anyone listen to the radio for this stuff?”

An hour later, Callum and Rayla had finally signed off with promises to keep everyone posted.  Rayla had begun texting Runaan with the information as Tinker looked up the most reputable Xadian papers close to the border.  Everyone was ready.

Rayla gently tugged on his scarf to get his attention.  “You still alive?”

Callum wrapped his arm around her shoulder as he tried to give the most sauve smile he could.  “You still the most beautiful woman in the world?”

Rayla snorted as she shook her head.  “Laying it on a bit thick there, Your Highness?”

“Nope.  You are also the bravest, smartest, and most sarcastic person I have ever met.”

“And daring.  Don’t forget daring.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”  Callum kissed her cheek before getting up to stretch.  “I’m going to the grocery store.  Write down what you need and I’ll go in about ten minutes.”

“You don’t want me to come with you?”

“Not yet.  We’ll hide out tomorrow and then go to school on Monday.  Besides, if you leave and come back with me, Bandlr might assume it’s time to say something.  I want just a few more hours of peace.”

“OK.  I’ll get started.”  Rayla grabbed the pad and pencil Callum had laying around.  “It’s so convenient that I can take two steps anywhere in this apartment and there will be pens and pads of paper for me to doodle on.”

“Is that a dig at my art?”

“No.  I love your art.  It’s a dig at your ‘organized chaos’ lifestyle.”

“Fair.”

Callum took a quick shower as he made a mental list of everything they would need for the week.  ‘Maybe she should just move in?  No, it’s too soon and Runaan would murder me.  We don’t know if we can trust the dorms anymore, though.’  “Callum?”

“Yeah?”

“I just got a text from Tinker.  He and Runaan don’t like it, but they think I should move in with you.”

Callum put his head against the shower wall.  “Please tell me I’m not thinking the same thing that my future-in-laws are thinking at the same time they’re thinking it.”  It slipped out of him so easily.  He knew he wanted to eventually marry Rayla, but when had it become a fact in his mind that he would?

“If you are, I might have to start thinking like your dad and Ezran.”

“The world would be so lucky to have another Ezran.”

Rayla opened the shower curtain, causing Callum to drop the soap in his hand and quickly cover himself.  “It’s nothing that I haven’t seen before.  Calm down.”

“I am calm!” he squeaked.

“Then go back to washing yourself.”

“Why don’t you go back to having the curtain closed?”

“Fine.”  She let the curtain fall and Callum felt his speeding heart finally slow down.  “You were right.  I love Harrow and Amaya.  I feel freer now that they know.  I also know that I wouldn’t have done any of this with anyone else.  You are so lucky I love you; I swear by the Moon Nexus itself.”

“I know.  If you’re moving in, do you want to get your stuff tonight?”

“I’m gonna have to.  I trust the girls in my suite, but I don’t trust everyone in the building.  They’re not there all the time and it’s not fair to ask them to look after my stuff.”

“Do you have a lot?  I can get you a taxi or you can take it to the library and we’ll make it work.”

“Claudia offered to help me a few days ago.  She’s no stranger to having to move quickly, given how she and Soren had to align themselves with your father immediately after Viren turned traitor.”

“That was nice of her.  Just remember one thing about them: Claudia and Soren are Team Claudia and Soren.  I don’t doubt that they’ll help us and I know they won’t help Viren.  But those two have been through a lot together and they’re first priority is to each other.  Especially since Soren’s accident.”

“Right.  I’ll keep that in mind.  I’m done with the list, so I’m gonna go text Claudia and head to the dorm.”  Callum heard Rayla’s footsteps taking her towards the door of his, no, their apartment.

“Where did you leave it?”

“On the kitchen table, next to that stupid bowl of fruit you love so much.”

“It’s for ART!”

“Eat the fruit, human, or I’ll make a fruit salad for you to come home to.  And I’ll serve it in the bowl!”

Callum left the shower and dried off, listening for Rayla in case she was still there.  He padded over to his kitchen and saw the fruit bowl.  The bowl itself was blue and green, filled with apples, grapes, and a few oranges.  There were also moonberries to keep Rayla’s craving at bay.  “I’m either going to have to draw you all day tomorrow or you’re going to be eaten.  Actually, Rayla’s going to eat you either way.”  Callum looked closer at the amount he had.  “I’m gonna need more of that Earthblood honey.”

#rayllum #rayllum fanfic #the dragon prince #au #we could be heroes #I forgot to post this on here #all five current chapters are on ao3 #I'm almost done with chapter 6 #moonbase fanfics