A/N: Hello again, my lovelies! Still kickin'? Me too! But man, has this last year been loooooong!

I bring to you, my very first TDP fanfic, My Heart for Xada!

Just for reference, I'm using the word Xada to reference all of the continent, Xadia and the Pentarchy both. Imma make it fannon. (^^)

I do not own any part of TDP. I own nothing. Not even my soul!

Be warned, this is not Erzan centric. This is very much Rayllum centric, it just started off as an idea of "what if nobody died" turned into "what if Ezran was a captive" turned into "what if ONLY the bad guy died and all the conflict never happened?". Then I wrote some REALLY deep Rayla, and a fan-theory explanation about "lesser beings" and poof! Here we are!

Probably won't get regular updates, I'm actually packing my house up as we speak (literally have my phone in one hand and the tape gun in another) so forgive me if getting out of the armpit of America and down to sandy beaches with hot babes and dudes with beach bods takes priority. I'm sure you understand.

Chapter One

"Today of all days, I will spare your lives. Turn around and leave Xadia."

"You never gave Her that choice," Harrow croaked.

"Your Queen was as just and as kind as mine," Avazandum spoke regrettably, "she volunteered to pay the price your mage was meant to pay and die in his place, and for that I gave her a choice- renounce the human ways of Dark Magic and return the heart of the ancient one for a proper burial, or she would be a servant to the Storm Dynasty while her unborn was raised side by side with my own."

"What!? You monster!"

"You dare call me monster, when you yourself came to rip the heart from the life giver of your people? For eons, the guardians of hearth and heat have warmed your lands at the cost of their own lives, against the council of the dragons, and when only one remained to maintain that sacred gift, you rip her heart from her chest and dance upon her tears. Yet I, who is protector of life and all magical things am a monster for offering an alternative to death? You humans disgust me!"

"You mean to tell me that the reason our lands have grown colder is because those creatures died?" Viren asked in disbelief.

"Creatures!" Avazandum exclaimed with a bark of astonishment, "they are the earth itself, and the essence of all life that comes from the earth. With them gone, the other children of the earth cannot keep up through the months without sunshine, for there is no other being whom possesses both earth and sun. The lesser beings fear humans, for they have no defense against your dark magic which ended the unicorns, as peaceful and selfless as they were, and will not help you so long as humans partake in those evil arts. In your murdering of the ancient one, you have doomed yourselves to an eventual death!"

Harrow looked on in horror of what his actions had resulted in.

"We didn't know," Harrow exclaimed, " we were only trying to save our people!"

"As have I for centuries protected mine from your evil ways! Be gone, foul humans, and leave in peace with my words and mercy to remind you of the cost of your actions!"

Harrow shook his head, "it doesn't matter. You killed my queen and child, and left my son motherless! This isn't an attack on Xadia- this is justice on my wife's killer!"

"You are a fool!" he bellowed, roaring to the skies.

"My King!" a small being called from the back of a tiny dragon, "it is time!"

Harrow looked up to see what appeared to be a human child holding tightly to a little blue creature as his braided hair swayed in the wind, a storm gathering behind him.

"You should not be here, Boy! Return to your mother!"

"But Zym is scarred! He does not want to-"

"Do as I say, young prince! A storm such as this will strike you from the sky and end your pitiful life!"

"But I am with you, My Lord Protector," the boy said without fear, the small dragon dropping the boy on the shoulder of the mighty beast.

Thunder turned back to the humans in warning, "do not force my hand here, King of Katolis. Return to your people."

"Katolis?" the boy asked, then cringed, "uh-oh."

"You see the position you have put me in, boy? Introduce yourself."

He stood straight and placed his closed fist over his heart and bowed forward slightly, "forgive me for making this our first meeting. I am Prince Ezran, second son of Queen Sarai, first son of King Harrow and heir apparent to the throne of Katolis."

"That's impossible!" Viren growled, "I saw Queen Sarai's death myself!"

"Your attempts were futile, Dark Mage," Thunder roared, "for your Queen survived, despite your repeated attacks."

"What is he talking about, Viren," Harrow growled, "answer me!"

Viren sneered, "he's lying! I would never hurt Sarai! She was my queen, and my friend's wife!"

"And the only obstacle between your quest for power and the king's favor," Ezran pointed out, "you knew that so long as the queen disapproved of dark magic, so would the king. Her death presented opportunity for you."

"Her death breaks my heart!" he denied, then turned to Harrow, "Harrow, please, the boy's been brainwashed by this beast. He's not even who he says he is. Sarai is gone."

Harrow looked at the boy, and saw something he never expected.

"He... has my mother's eyes," Harrow choked, tears falling down his face, then he turned angrily to Viren.

"You! You tried to kill my wife!"

"I defended myself!" he growled, holding up his staff, "and I protected all of humanity, as I will do once again!"

"Viren, no!"

Aaand that's it for Chapter One, folks! I'll post Chapter Two in a few days, give y'all time to accept me back into the ever-so-exclusive club that is fanfic writing. Let me know what you think of it so far! But please, don't message me about your hot bod or pretty kitty. Unless you're a character straight out of a harlequin, I really don't care, js.