Items Shaving Kit || Eye of the Goddess || Sword of the Strong Vitality Vial || Strengthening Vial || Crystal Kinfa Feather
Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 2:08 pm
ღ ☾Table of Contents / Rules / Contact Information☾ ღ
ToC ☾Staff Post Cert, Link to Official Uncert & Inventory ღ Table of Contents & Rules ☾News/Updates ღ Callum Basic physical info, personality, etc. ☾History The man behind the feathers ღ Relationships Family, Friends, Lover(s), Enemies, etc. ☾Familiar(s) Information on Faulina (Kinfa), ---, etc. ღ RP Log ☾ Battle Log
Rules Do not post in this thread unless you are staff, myself, or invited first. By posting this I am agreeing to follow ToS and shop rules, so I would invite the reader to do the same.
Contact Information I am always open for plotting/rps! That being said, some ways you can contact me are listed below;
ღ PM ☾AIM: ScootersMcGee
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Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 2:14 pm
ღ ☾Updates☾ ღ
May 01, 2015 - Callum is won in the Character Connection Creation contest. His journal was created shortly after. May 13, 2015 - Official Prentice art has arrived! June 30, 2015 - Stage two is here! January 10, 2016 - Stage three growth accepted! January 26, 2016 - Stage three art is here!
Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 2:34 pm
ღ ☾Callum☾ ღ
Nicknames: Cal Race: Wind - Shifter Earthling Gender: Male Physical Description: Callum is on the tall side and rather thin, despite being mostly muscle. His skin has the same pale hue as his mother, while his eyes and hair color come entirely from his father. His pointed ears hold back his wavy curls; and on a good day they actually stay contained! He views himself as rather plain compared to his friends, so Callum prefers to deck himself out in feathers (either as jewelry or hair accessories; sometimes part of his wardrobe). Scar count -neck scars caused by an accident in his youth (he was setting a trap, got caught up in the rope and would have hung himself if he hadn't been saved) - As of the battle with the Alks in Sauti Callum now sports a nasty scar just above his right hip, as if someone were trying to cut him through but was stopped. -deep claw marks on his lower abdomen and a menagerie of scars on his left shoulder from a sermal
Class: Knight Future Classes: Sentinel
Personality: Engaging; Dependent; Expressive
Engaging Callum is extroverted by nature, and doesn't seem to have any concept on personal space. He's charming, kind hearted and flirty when he wants to be. It gives him an easy going air that lends itself to a distance he can easily keep from others. By constantly placing himself in the spotlight and involving himself in their lives he can keep the attention diverted away from himself.
Of course, by default, he's usually very chipper and comforting. It's crazy sometimes how he can always know the right thing to say or do to win favor with another, but that's just because Callum puts so much time into watching others.
Dependent While he's highly motivated to be around others, it also comes at a price. Callum cannot stand to be alone. The fact that his father abandoned him weighs heavy on his mind, as does the indifference from the mother that doesn't even know who he is. Callum will suffer abuse if it means not having to be alone, and in his naive desperation will rationalize it as being his fault.
For years his true personality was tucked away in favor of molding himself to curry favors in others. He's begun to stand up for his wants more, though he still views himself as dispensable. Callum no longer turns a blind eye to terrible acts just to save himself from being involved in conflict, often making him a bigger target than his hybrid blood ever could.
No matter his internal growth, Callum's past still weighs him down. He fills the void with social interactions, and lately not all have been positive... Expressive Callum loves expressions of self; whether that be art, song, dance, or even stories. It's the only sure fire way to calm him down when he's particularly anxious or upset (not that he'll show it; those only able to see it are those closest to him). He particularly loves dancing to the beat of a doeskin drum by the light of the moon. When he moves it's as if all his cares fade into the wind, and the only person he needs to focus on is himself.
He'll spend hours every night practicing his craft. Only when his limbs refuse to cooperate will he retire. Callum fears that his performances are never good enough, so even when a dance is perfected he'll push it further in the hopes of receiving more praise than last time.
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Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 2:37 pm
ღ ☾History☾ ღ
While Nyah's history spins the story of his father's upbringing, this only paints the beginning for Callum.
Callum is the son of Tariel and Laiyera, born under the protection of a full winter's moon. His is not the story of a child conceived from love, however, but that of convenience. From her youth, the young Wind woman developed a notorious reputation as a coquette who preferred the chase over it's end results. The winds of luck favored her for many years, but upon meeting Tariel, that enchanting Shifter, it all seemed to fade away.
Although Tariel's ambiguous romantic feelings for his lover were never truly discerned by those of the tribe, Laiyera was said to openly dismiss him when it pleased her. For years she toyed with her chosen pet, leading him on without ever truly committing to the one so openly pursued her. Her jealousy was strong enough to end the game when others showed interest in the man; one particular being her own sister, who had had enough of Laiyera's teasing. Laini had been attracted by his exotic features, so different from her own 'bland' form, and found Laiyera to be selfish. Who was she, to claim such a man, just because she was prettier? The only thing that separated the two was Laiyera's larger chest, after all! In the end, before Laini could make her intentions known, Laiyera stole Tariel's affections for good and sealed the deal by allowing herself to become pregnant with his child.
Neither female bothered with asking the Shifter as to his origins. Both sisters were too enamored by his changing features to truly focus on what he may have felt by the entire ordeal. Laini was the only one who so much as thought of him as something other than a convenient lay, and that sympathy was born out of a selfish desire to trump her sister at least once in her life.
When the child, Callum, was born Laiyera did not fall swiftly into motherhood. Travelling the near inhospitable landscape of Sauti came easy to the female, but raising a child while doing so did not. She would often ignore him for hours, curled into a ball of hatred for her own child while cursing her inability to keep him quiet. As if sensing her sister's growing mental distress, Laini went to her in the night, hoping to relieve some tension and found Laiyera attempting to smother the child with his own blanket. Why Tariel was not there, Laini would never know, but after wrestling Laiyera to the ground with a firm punch to her face Laini stole the child away.
Laini had expected Tariel to come to retrieve the boy, and had full intention of taking him away from her sister as well as her son. Laiyera wasn't able to be a true partner to him, not in the state she was in. The b***h was too selfish for that! Still, after waiting night and day for a full three weeks Laini finally had to admit that Tariel was gone. To where, she would never know, but during his absence she raised Callum. He was a happy lad; full of smiles and wonder. Laini began to accept her love for him when he started calling her mother, but even then peace was not to be found.
Laiyera had never left, and though it took her a while to recover from her loses, by the time Callum was three years of age she returned to claim him as her own. The boy wanted nothing to do with her; the gruff way that she greeted him, the all too sweet smiles of apology...it all was all too scary. He hid behind Laini's skirts, looking up to his mother with wide, grey eyes as soft as the moon itself. The very look brought out enough memories to choke Laiyera. She left, but not before pledging to Laini that she would repay her sister for all she had done and wished to play a larger role in her sons life.
Not even a full week after these words were spoken did Laiyera summon her sister to aid in the collection of water. Callum was left to play with the other younglings, and when the two left he waved to both, wishing them a speedy return.
Laiyera led her sister to a pool of water barely deep enough to cover the top of her foot, hidden far from the tribe in a rocky craig. Laini had reason to be suspicious, but she was determined to trust her sister, as she seemed to be making such progress. Why not? She spent every waking hour helping with the raising of Callum. When one was not out during their duty, the other was and the co-parenting really helped. As Laini bent down with her vase to collect the water Laiyera wasted no time in shoving her face first into the water. Laiyera's hatred gave her strength enough to hold her struggling sister until her limbs stilled beneath her. By the time sun set from behind the mists, Laini's body was buried and Laiyera returned alone.
She was surrounded almost immediately and sobbed a horrible tale of the tragedy. Her sister, her loving sister, killed in a hunting accident! Of course Laiyera knew not where the body was; the foul creatures had dragged her off! Callum was devastated by the news, and in his grief he found solace in his mother for the first time in his young life. No one questioned the attack aloud for fear of disturbing the pair, though searches were conducted. Only a leg as found, marked as Laini's was, with tears similar to claw marks around the ankle.
Laiyera left their little tribe in favor of settling down in the settlement of Dernd to the Northwest. She hoped the distance from her traveling group would be enough to throw suspicion of Laini's death off her trail. It turned out to be a good move for the time; Callum adjusted well to life with the Sail Scale traders. He even had hopes of joining their ranks one day, much to the surprise of his mother. Laiyera hopes for glory rested in her son now, and when she came across Tariel again those hopes only grew. A son should have a father, shouldn't he? And surely this was fate! Now she wouldn't have to raise the brat alone, especially since Tariel's step-mother was with him.
Laiyera's madness did not end, however. She became possessive of Tariel to the point of forsaking Callum should he get too close to the man. There was no asking if Tariel even wished to be with her after so long; she knew he must have wanted. Why else bring her all the way out here? A nagging thought reminded her it could have been for the welfare of their son, but she dismissed it as easily as she could the boy.
A hunting accident near his tenth year ended Laiyera's reign. The head wounds she received were enough to convince Callum she was meant for death, but she pulled through. It took months of nursing just to get her to speak, and the first thing she did was scream. She wasn't a mother! She didn't know Tariel at all, so why was she in a room with him and this boy?! Laiyera was inconsolable for a full two days before she calmed enough to beg to go home. Convinced she had been captured, the woman cried out for her sister to be contacted, surely she could help her, and travel was arranged to take the woman back to her wandering tribe.
Callum was isolated from her after that first scream, and never knew when his mother was taken away. What limited contact he'd had with Tariel up to that point consisted of awkward small talk. It came with no small relief that not too long after his mothers "passing", Ming'we and Minga came into his life. The inseparable halfling siblings were something of a mystery to him at first, since they seemed to actually like causing trouble. Wouldn't that just get them punished?! All the easy smiles and carefree laughter brought him into the gang, though, and soon he found friends closer than any siblings he may have had.
In Sauti they grew up together, spending each day as if attached to the hip. Slowly Callum's self-confidence began to grow. They wanted him, not because of anything he could do or because they were stuck with him, which was something of a marvel for Callum. He had Ming'we to fend off anyone who got too close (or what she deemed to be too close, with was alright with Callum) and in return he would show assist in the Jauhar born families adjustment; sharing his knowledge about local plants, watering holes, particular settlements he'd been too, etc.
It was all too good to last. Minga and Ming'we's Wind mother lost her battle with disease; a cough that had settled in her chest, he was told. He and his step-grandmother prepared food for the family for as long as they remained in Sauti, hoping to ease their burden during the grieving process. When he discovered they were returning to Jauhar, Callum understood true loss. Surely this was the end! He would never be able to see them again. Despite all assurances that yes, he most certainly would, the weeks after their departure he felt himself becoming withdrawn.
The departure of his father only aided in his feeling of abandonment. Corine, his step-grandmother, assured him that she would never leave him, and he would be surrounded by love. It was because of her that he traveled to Sol at all. Corine was sure that once they were a part of Jauhar themselves that he would see not all was lost. Sauti was nothing but painful memories for the boy, something to which the elderly woman wished to keep far, far from him.
With a new location came new beginnings. Upon arrival in Sol, Callum's jaw dragged the ground after the sighting of trees as far as his eyes could see. Even with the forest being thinner here, it was still a grand spectacle to the Sauti born youth. It was in this land that he found his friends once more, even making a new one in Nyah, and where he also discovered that his eyes were not as uncommon as he had previously thought.
Posted: Sun May 03, 2015 2:58 pm
ღ ☾Relationships☾ ღ
Nimueh : Alkidike/Ice - His best friend, his lover and his muse Sol : Alk/Ice/Shift/Wind - Precious son! Ygraine : Alk/Ice/Shift/Wind - Precious daughter!
Laiyera : Wind : Birth Mother - Laiyera was an insanely possessive woman who was often jealous of any attention paid to her half-breed son over her. She lives in Sauti now, with no memory of Callum or his father due to a hunting accident. Laini : Wind : Maternal Aunt / Adoptive Mother - Deceased. A kind woman who grew up, and put aside childish rivalries when tasked with raising her nephew. She taught him to love his uniqueness, and for that he will always treasure her. (Has no idea how she really died.) Tariel : Shifter : Father - Callum isn't sure how he feels about his father, honestly. He's convinced the man thinks him a disappointment, so that's why he left him behind. Corine : Shifter : Step-Grandmother - Callum's sole caretaker during his teen years. She's a comforting woman, and while she isn't so sure of these Alkidike friends he's making, anything positive in the boys life is viewed with smiles.
Ming'we : Alkidike/Wind : Childhood Friend - As close as a sister to him, really. Minga : Alkidike/Wind : Childhood Friend - Might as well be brothers. Talisia : Shifter/Ice - A fellow hybrid who wasn't native to Jauhar, but ended up there anyway. He considers her a special friend.
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Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 7:08 pm
ღ ☾Familiars☾ ღ
Faulina has been with Callum for longer than he can remember. She was a gift from his father, and as one of the kinfa he trained she is rather smart. As a rule she detests females of every kind, and thus far has only been able to tolerate Ming'we, Ygraine, Talisia, and Corine.
Stage 2 [Sauti] Meta - Alk. Invasion [Sauti] x - Callum vs. Ming'we (Winner Ming) [Sauti] x - Callum vs. Yithiron (Winner Yithiron)
Stage 3 [Zena] x - Callum vs. Weywa (Win x 2) [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Xilarn (Winner Xilarn) [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Nimueh [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Talisia (Winner Talisia) [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Rhonann (Winner Callum) [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Radaku (Win x 1, Lose x 4) [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Radaku (Lose x 2, Win x 1, Failed Taming) [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Mnyiri ( Winner Callum) [Jauhar] x - Callum vs. Rayolun (Winner Ray) [Jauhar] x - Callum/Nimueh vs. Menzuri [Oba/Meta] x Callum vs. Xilarn (Winner Xilarn)
Posted: Sun May 17, 2015 7:33 pm
ღ ☾Art☾ ღ
(Scar lines, Tasi color) (Kana lines, Tasi color) (Scar lines, Tasi color)
(Scar sketch!)
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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2015 11:52 am
ღ ☾Prentice Solo 1☾ ღ
As Callum’s light eyes shifted back into a darker hue with the rising sun he was forced to stall his efforts for the night. The hybrid’s lanky form was covered in sweat and his non-existent muscles burned even as he sat down for a moment. It was during times like this that he began to think. On principle he tried to avoid that; thinking. Pondering over lost relationships, bad times, and other troubles usually followed. He had enough of that to last a lifetime, and had no desire to dwell in them.
Still, it saddened him to see the rising sun. During the night the rainforest was a lot cooler and easier to move around in. To this day Callum had yet to truly adjust to the humidity of Jauhar. He could have sworn there was a metallic blanket on his shoulders at all times, dragging him down with it’s weight! Dancing could only really be practiced at night, when the heat was at least bearable and the moon gave him an internal strength. There was something about it that called to him. His gran would say he was a fool for not knowing the connections between Shifters and the moon, which is why he didn’t dare ask what it actually was.
Callum twiddled his fingers before pulling his hair up with a cord. Never before in his life had he wanted to cut it all off as badly as he had the first week of being here. The smell of collected sweat on the nape of his neck was enough, but when it made his hair a jumbled hot mess...that he couldn’t abide by.
And the trees. Callum hadn’t been able to sleep well for weeks because he was terrified that once he closed his eyes he would roll out of his hammock and fall to his death. Any effort to make a temporary camp near the base of a tree had been found out by his gran, who scolded him firmly. He was no Alkidike, so he would stay in the trees like a good boy! This wasn’t Sauti; he should be up here with his people. Never mind the fact he had never even seen this many trees until he had arrived here, nor had he been in once since the accident that had left horrendous scars on his neck.
Gran was right though; she always was. Those large women would most likely harm him for trying to encroach on their territory. At least that’s what Gran said, but Callum wasn’t inclined to believe it. They couldn’t all be like that or Ming’we and Minga’s mother would have run him off a long time ago. She was kind so...maybe Gran was wrong about something, at least.
He leaned back against the tree, stretching his legs out along the ground. It was harder to dance here than it was in Sauti. Callum missed the light feeling he got twisting in the cool winds. There food may have been sparse, but companionship wasn’t. Even when he was treated like the freak he was they still tried to be nice about it. Here he was filled with so much food his stomach ached, and he had blisters on his blisters from climbing trees to escape prejudice from large, green women.
Not that the Shifters were much more accepting. They wanted him to learn more about being them, which was nice, but it made him feel like what he was wasn’t good. Did he have to forget about Sauti to live in Jauhar? Maybe he just wasn’t cut out to be a Shifter; Gran was so much better at it, and his father…
Callum lowered his head. Maybe this was one of the many reasons his father had ditched him. But then...why would he have given him this necklace? It was so similar to Nyah’s that his father had to have known they would meet, right? Slowly the high he had obtained while dancing had faded away into his typical self-deprecating nature. Just what did it all mean? Was this supposed to make him a better Shifter? If it was, then why would Nyah, an Alkidike, have one too?
Twisting his head up to look at the tree canopies, Callum had to frown. In his musings he had allowed himself to relax and now his adrenaline was gone, leaving him a limp ball of aching muscles. So just how was he going to climb back up? If he called out for help then his Gran would find out, and he was already an embarrassment to her enough without this.
He moved to stand and steeled his reserves. Yes, the tree was rather large, and yes it was a long climb, but if the others could do it then he could too! Right? Possibly. Maybe. Probably not. Callum could already feel his feet aching after scraping up against the bark for a half hour just trying to get off the ground. If it wasn’t so smooth he might have a chance, but as it was...
Think about how happy Gran will be once you’ve mastered this. It would put her mind at ease to see him adjusting to his new life. “Bergchi guide me,” Callum murmured. He backed away from the great purple monstrosity and shook himself loose before taking a running leap at the tree. Callum latched onto a vine, which he used to pull himself up partially. His arms wrapped around a low hanging branch, pride consuming him for just a moment before it snapped. He screamed, anticipating the fall and instead found himself hanging by one leg from the tree via the vine. It had somehow tangled itself around him in the fall. The top of his head could touch the ground when he stretched, but little else could be done.
She’s going to be so disappointed with me. Granmother Corine was the only family he had left that even wanted to be around him, so the thought of putting a scowl on her face was the worst possible thing in Callum’s world. Stretch and twist as he might the lad couldn’t free himself, which only put his panic on high alert. Tears bubbled to the surface and as much as he didn’t want them to fall he had little choice. There was no way he could get down without aid at this point.
He would either die in Jauhar or be run out of it.
At this point, Callum couldn’t figure out which would be worse.
(WC: 1105)
Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 11:56 am
ღ ☾Prentice Solo 2☾ ღ
Callum hadn't been prepared for the sheer quantity of odd fellows he would meet in Jauhar. The rumors and these strange encounters, coupled with his penchant for leaving for a few weeks at a time to visit with friends had his Grandmother on edge. Corine was less cheerful to see him off now, and though she had kept her lips tightly pressed together before she wasn't as wary of letting her opinions be known.
"Sweetheart, I want you to stay closer to home for the next few weeks, alright? I need your help with a few repairs." Of course she could have easily asked one of her many friends to assist, but Callum knew why she had chosen her scrawny grandson instead. The woman had real concerns about the growing push for Alkidike loyalists to make a stand; it was something that Callum thought only to be a rumor, but Corine took it to heart. With his connections the boy might have been shielded for a while, but then...?
He watched her through his peripheral vision for a while. She was a strong woman at her core even if her body had gone soft with old age. The woman carried a weight around her mid-section that Callum could only call 'pudge' and if anything it made her softer to hug. They were supposed to be relaxing after a long morning of bolstering support for their sleeping area. It had been sturdy enough, but Corine had found fault in the structure. "It moves too much...dips in the middle...tilts to the right..." Others had more detailed lodgings but Corine preferred the simple life. It was something that Callum could appreciate, thanks to his nomadic upbringing in Sauti. Still, it had him worried. What if she were to roll out of it one night? There would be no walls or side support to stop her from it.
Or worse; what if she was attacked.
That thought had been at the forefront of his mind. The more Corine spoke of the rumors the more on edge Callum became. He had all but stopped his nightly dancing. "Do you..." His grandmother looked up from her weaving, nimble hands intertwined beneath layers of vines. "...think that maybe I should start training? If it comes down to a fight I should-"
"Absolutely not."Corine had turned her attention back to her weaving with a dismissive cluck to her voice. Her word was law within his life, they both knew that, and she expected it to be followed. "I've told you before. You'll keep practicing your dancing like a good boy, and find a nice Shifter girl. Doesn't that sound like a good life?" The woman mused aloud. Her voice was almost wistful, even if it had a tired edge to it, as if they had already had this discussion many, many times before. "Callum, you're gifted and you shouldn't squander that going off to play soldier. It makes me so proud to think you would want to fight for your people, but really dear, you're just...not built to fight."
My people? Callum took up a length of vine and followed in Corine's footsteps, much like he had his entire life. If it wasn't her then it was his father, mother...birth mother...The Wind tribe was his people in his heart, and as much as Callum admired the Shifter way of life he felt that it just wasn't a good fit for him. He had been an outcast from day one and it wasn't looking to get better. The thought of fighting scared him to the core, but if it protected his Gran...
Ming'we wanted to be a sniper. She was dead set on that idea and was running with it. Whenever she spoke about it little needles of doubt would poke through his mind. When had dancing become something he only wanted to do when he wanted to do it, not as a profession? His Gran pushed him to try new things and so he did. Each night he would dance until his legs grew sore and his back ached when he slept. In Sauti and on the road she hadn't much cared about what he did with his free time. Corine had indulged him in all aspects, but now she seemed to be molding into into a proper Shifter male. Something she wouldn't have to worry over.
"Callum, are you listening to me?" Snapping his head to attention he noticed that she was looking at him strangely. "Is everything alright, sweetheart? If there's something troubling you just tell me."
But how could he? It would only trouble her and possibly bring a rift between the only family member he really had left. Perhaps this is what his father wanted, too; for him to follow the good path and become a son he could be proud of. He let out a little laugh and shook his head with a wide grin. "I'm fine, just thinking about new routines. I saw a performance a little while ago where a man flipped into the air. With the right amount of practice I might be able to copy that."
"I heard about them. Noyina's niece went to see them as well and she..."
While Corine prattled on about a woman he was surely to meet in the future, thanks in part to her insistence, Callum pondered on his future. The necklace he wore around his neck bound him to Jauhar as strongly as if it were a collared leash. One day he would return to Sauti, if only to visit, and perhaps by then he would be able to get a taste of what it would be like to wield a weapon. He shook his head. How ridiculous was that? Callum's self-depreciating thoughts brought out a sad little smile. So long as the mystery remained between Nyah and himself...so long as Gran lived and needed him...so long as his friends stayed close...Callum would be there.
There were worse things than dancing and having a nice wife. Maybe even one that Faulina wouldn't try to take a bite out of. Though, what if he chose to look for a boy? Surely his grandmother wouldn't be too upset, would she? Best not to test it, really. Maybe Nyah could help.
Callum was shocked in awareness. If..if the rumors were true, what would happen to Nyah? He was close enough to Ming'we and Minga that he could be with them, but Nyah was right in the thick of it. Claws clasped around his heart. No, he had to believe she would be alright. They were just rumors. Nothing to get upset over.
Maybe Callum could tweak his grandmother's vision just enough to let his wife be a certain petite Alkidike...Surely then he could keep her safe. Of course they were a little young and he wouldn't dream of pushing her, but was it really so out of place? His worries were still present, but were beginning to calm.
Sometime soon he would have to talk to Nyah. He could only hope that she wouldn't resent him for it; after all, he wasn't a fighter, never would be, and a male at that! While marriage was much too early a concept, dating was not. Callum meant to show her that he could be what she needed even if she didn't yet know it.
She would either reject him, or he would need to break the news to Gran.
Either way, his world would change forever.
(WC: 1269)
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Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 11:47 am
ღ ☾Prentice Solo 3 - Callum chooses the Sentinel path!☾ ღ
This was it.
Callum could see his grandmother just a few feet ahead of him, giggling over something one of her friends had said, and though he normally would have joined in the revelry the boy was noticeably absent. He couldn't find the words he needed to not only get the woman off on her own without drawing suspicion, but to also curb her thoughts to something he so desperately wanted.
It had taken the attack on his life for Callum to see what it was he needed to do. If those men would attack him because of his birth alone then it wouldn't take them long to find Talisia, Ming'we, or Minga. Nyah would be perfectly safe with her sisters, but the other three...just by existing they had brought an unjust hatred upon themselves that Callum couldn't understand. He had always been so ready to accept that he was a freak, and should be justly shunned because of it. However, when those same eyes were cast upon Talisia the other day...it had truly terrified him. What if they had captured her? Brave as she might be the girl wouldn't have stood a chance, even with her raptrix. They would only have called for back up and how many would have stood against them when it came to defending a hybrid? How many would fight?
It didn't matter; not really. Callum paced away from his grandmother. If no one would stand up for them then it would be up to the hybrid's to defend themselves. Callum wanted to protect his family, but that would only mean choosing which side of him to fight for. Why couldn't it be both? Why couldn't he stand for all of his kind, even the ones that didn't share an ounce of his heritage? That little boy in the jungle, his sister, his brother, his new friend...They deserved someone stronger than him by far, and that's what Callum wanted to become.
At one point in his life all he had wanted to do was dance. Corine's idea of marrying him off to a fine shifter girl, who would have happened to see one of his performances, was solid. It would have made for the perfectly safe life that she had dreamed about since first becoming aware of her "unfortunate" grandson. But why not marry the same girl even if he had a different path in mind? As a dancer he would have to hide from the fighting and rely upon others to shield him. Callum wasn't ready for that. No living being was going to fight for him while he was sitting back cowering like the child he had never truly been. Everyone that grew close to him inevitably left Callum behind in some shape or fashion. If that was how his life was to be then so be it, but if he could prevent them from suffering while they still cared for him then that's just what Callum was going to do.
"Callum, come over here! Wyss was just telling the best story of her grandson. He fought against the Obans, you know."
"That must have been terrifying," Callum quipped as he came into their fold. Terrifying, but worth it. Wyss' grandson had lost an arm in the war, but in doing so he had defended a family that wasn't even his own from being mowed down by Oban soldiers. It was because of him that Callum wanted to pick up the sword. With a sword he could defend as well as fight back, and make his stance known among the enemy. When Wyss' grandson had seen Callum's interest the man had tried to show him what pointers he could without stressing his still healing body. He had been the first one to see any shred of potential in Callum. "You're not made for war. A boy like you was never meant to hold a sword, but that doesn't mean you aren't meant to be the greatest. Natural talent only goes so far; if you've got the drive then you can do anything."
When he had tried to give Callum his sword they had the unfortunate luck of being near Corine and the woman had damn near lost her mind. There was no way her soft hearted grandson was even going to TOUCH that thing! If only she knew the seeds that had been planted in his mind. Hybrids deserved a good life just as much as the nearest pure blood. If it took a fight to get it to that point, then....Well, Callum had never been found of going against others, but he was beginning to see that in some cases it was necessary. Some people just didn't see the world like he did. If they did then there wouldn't be Alkidike loyalists trying to do what Oba had failed to achieve. This cycle of unbridled ignorance was beginning to weigh on Callum.
They all deserved better.
Nimueh shouldn't have to hide away in the jungle just because the sisters wouldn't let him join. Talisia shouldn't have to hide her face because of something she couldn't control. How many others were thinking the world would be better off without them? How many hybrids would have to feed into their anger just to scratch out a life for themselves in Tendaji? It was sickening.
Callum was going to become a swordsman, and someday a Sentinel. He had little idea on how to make it all possible, or what he was going to do when faced with an opponent who actually wanted to do him real harm, but he had to try. If he didn't he would regret it for the rest of his life. Someday he was going to be strong enough to stand on his own, and when that day came he would show the others that they could do the same. Callum would give his life to make one day easier for a fellow hybrid.
All he had to do was break the news to Gran.
(WC: 1012)
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2016 11:57 am
ღ ☾Stage 2 Solo 1 ☾ ღ
Callum awoke with a throbbing migraine, and the feeling of cold toes laced between his legs.
He blinked into the early morning sunlight that streamed through the window. The baked clay walls were decorated with so many brightly colored tapestries that it hurt to look at. Closing his eyes for another moment, he groaned, and tried to stave the pain by massaging his temples. Callum turned onto his back, or he attempted to, when he found himself nearly on top of another body.
That seemed to chill him. Nimble fingers were twining themselves through the hair closest to his scalp, and as curious as Callum was about his bed mate the soothing act was enough to lull him into complacency. He felt knees press into his lower back as the person cuddled up closer to him. “Mmm, shh love~ Just go back to sleep. We had a long night last night.”
Female, by the sound of it, and still husky from sleep. When she was finished she laid her arm over his waist to pull herself even closer to him. At the time Callum couldn’t think of any reason to break the comfort he was feeling, so he drifted off back into sleep.
The second time he awoke was much later in the day. This time he was alone in the bed, and as he sat up Callum began to notice more about his surroundings. A large, spacious room with a soft bed and silken bedding. Even if he stretched out across the width of it Callum doubted he could reach either edge. With a lazy yawn, he reached up to brush his hair away from his face as a woman made herself known to him.
She was older than Callum by far; just aged enough to have formed laugh lines on her face. An Oban with a confident stride, she made her way closer to the bedside wearing nothing more than a thin sleeping gown. It may as well have been a grand robe with a crown residing betwixt her thick curls for all the dignity she showed. The mystery woman sat on the edge and curled one leg beneath the other so that she could turn to fully take him in.
“How are you feeling, my dear? It’s still early yet; you could get a few more hours of rest if you wanted to.”
Callum shook his head, and instantly regretted the action. The room seemed to shift around him, which caused his ‘hostess’ to cluck her tongue.
“Don’t push yourself. I gave you a little something to help sooth the aches, and on top of all the wine we had last night you surely can’t feel as well as you put on.”
That explained the all encompassing numbness. It tugged at him, coaxing him back into sleep, but he refused. There were too many unanswered questions, and too many memories that didn’t seem to make sense.
“Tell me now, what do you remember about yesterday?”
The beginning wasn’t hard to dredge up. He told her about looking for odd jobs in Kalv, and being turned away by a number of traders. Some simply didn’t have any work for him, and others were put off by his hybrid status. Some simply didn’t trust the story of a nomadic swordsman; there was too much to risk with that, and he’d understood. Then…”You found me. You told me that you would hire me if I can to your party as a guest. Then you paid me to-”
That much he remembered in shocking detail. This woman had paid him to wear nothing other than a pair of white trousers and gold jewelry in order to flash him off to her friends as a ‘rare find’. She hadn’t allowed them to do much more than to touch him, though at the end of the night Callum had been too intoxicated to remember. If she had given drugs to help with ease aching muscles, then…
“My husband should be returning anytime now. He went to see the last of our guests off, but insisted that I come back to check on you.” A Noble; they had introduced themselves as such last night. A gathering of Oban nobility and their upper class friends to speak about recent events. From the outside it might have looked like any normal gathering, but Callum hadn’t been the only ‘display’. There had been at least three others, all hybrids, all in similar states of undress.
“I’m glad you did,” He answered smoothly. Callum moved across the bed to her side, reaching out to capture a few girls around his index finger. Movement was difficult; both because the bed was obnoxiously soft and his limbs felt like stone. “I would have hated to wake up alone.”
“Mmm I thought so.” She leaned in close to press a chaste kiss to his forehead. When she pulled away she was all smile. “I think Devos was so impressed with you last night that he’s paying you triple. He’ll be so sad when you leave.” There was a glint in her crimson gaze that made Callum think he wouldn’t be the only one. If he allowed it, the couple might just keep him there forever...but would that really be so bad? He could live in relative luxury, flitting from one party to the next and he could stay in a continual state of ecstasy so that his demons could never catch him.
And yet, Callum knew he didn’t want that.
As tempting as the thought might have been he lowered his hand, and slowly moved himself to the edge of the bed. “I’ll just have to come back and visit one day then, won’t I?” He flashed her a charming grin, and before she could reach out to touch him he rose to stand. At first his feet were wobbly, unsure, but after a few moments he regained his composure.
“Let me just get your things; I had them washed for you, I hope you don’t mind.” She stood and moved across the room before returning with a neat, folded stack of clothing. “Devos should still be downstairs. Will you stay for breakfast? You have to let us feed you at least before you go, after all you’ve done.”
Callum couldn’t argue against a free meal, so he nodded his head and consented.
He didn’t regret what he’d done last night; both the conscious and the unconscious. It served to both make him feel wanted, and to put coin in his pocket. However, Callum knew that the only way he could live was to move forward. He needed to see his grandmother again, he wanted to see Ming’we and Talisia grow old with little babies, and he wanted...he wanted to see the Zena that Nimueh had spoken so fondly about.
And he just couldn’t do that from a gilded cage.
At one time he might have given in to such an offer, but Callum had grown. This had been a job for him, nothing more, nothing less.
Once his stomach was full, he would pack up and ship off to Jauhar before they gave him a chance to reconsider.
