Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter One: Conscription Day

Conscription Day is always the worst from what I hear. From my brother anyway, Xaden Riorson, the most powerful dragon rider at Basgiath. I so badly want to be like him, to be powerful and strong.

Today, I finally get to enter the Riders Quadrant, the very place I have wanted to be since my brother gave us marked ones the chance of life. I stand in the queue waiting for my turn to cross the deadly walk way known as the Parapet. I will finally get to see Xaden again, that is if I don’t fall to my death.

“Addie!” A voice from behind calls, I turn to see who it is and smile when I see Liam Joyful face. I’ve only actually met him twice, the first was when him and his mother joined us for dinner at home back in Aretia, and the second… was when our parents were executed for trying to tell the truth and save countless lives.

“Hey, Liam.” I say with a grin plastered on my face. Liam is one of the kindest souls I’ve ever met. His blue eyes bore into mine, he looks worried. Not for himself but for me. Of course he’s worried, I’m small and I’m certainly not as strong as the others standing in this queue. I turn around and try to focus on keeping myself calm.

My eyes snag on a woman slightly shorter than me. Her hair is tight in a coronet braid and her hair fades into grey, no… silver. What. The. Fuck. She’s Violet Sorrengail. Her mother is the reason my father is dead. I watch as she walks over with an older woman — her sister; to the stairs leading up the turret to the Parapet. They hug and say goodbye to each other. A luxury I will never understand.

It’s finally my turn to record my name on the roll, I do it quickly and head over to the stairs. I take a deep breath and start the climb that might very well lead to my death.

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Chapter Two: Parapet

My breath is ragged as I finally reach the top of the turret. Why’d they have to make it so high up? Suddenly I see Xaden, my brother confronting Violet.

“You’re General Sorrengail’s youngest.” He says, his tone filling with anger. Gods he’s gotten tall and he looks fucking ridiculous. The brother I knew hardly had any biceps. He’s changed. The last letter he wrote was a week ago, he told me about how the quadrant changes you, so I’m not suprised.

“You’re Fen Riorson’s son,” her voice is accusing and also accompanied by rising anger. It’s like she thinks she’s the only one allowed to be mad. It makes me sick. I want to say something, to tell her she has no right, but Xaden can hold his own; so I keep my mouth shut. Watch this play out.

“Your mother captured my father and oversaw his execution.” He says it matter of factly, but it’s laced with something darker. I wish he would just lift her up and throw her off the damned turret, rather than dragging out this ordeal. But as little as I know about him now is still know he’ll seek information. What is she even doing here? She should be with the scribes, reading books or whatever scribes do. Surely she knows she’s not going to last here. She has absolutely no muscle at all, and I’m suprised she hasn’t blown over from the wind yet.

I must have zoned out because when I hear my brother speak again, his voice is wicked, deathly even. “Why would I waste my energy killing you when the parapet will do it for me?” His smirk tells me everything I need to know. He thinks she won’t last two seconds in this hell hole. “Your turn.” She gives her name to the rider near the edge, before taking a deep breath.

She walks to the outcrop of the turret, steadying herself against the wall as, like I predicted a gust of wind nearly knocks her over. Some guy in front makes fun of her, “Some Sorrengail, with that kind of balance. I pity whatever wing you end up in.” I take stock of the guy, he’s tall with platinum blonde hair and shoulders practically the size of boulders.

A guy behind me mutters under his breath, “what a dick.” I turn to him. His build is same as everyone else here, jacked as shit. He has windswept dark brown hair matching with his eyes. In truth he’s exactly my type. He’s gorgeous. He looks down and catches me staring at him. He smiles brightly, oh god he has dimples, “can I help you, darling?” He asks, tilting his head to the side.

“No,” I say all too quickly, turning back around so fast my head swims.

“Really? I mean I know I’m good looking, but I don’t usually get ladies like you staring wide eyed up at me. I don’t mind I have to say.” He whispers in my head. I can feel the heat radiating off of him like a damned furnace. Gods is his ego sky high. “Do I get a name?” He asked after a beat of silence.

“No.” I repeat this time staying focused on Sorrengail. I want to watch if she falls.

“Do you say ‘no’ to everything?” I chuckle slightly, he’s talkative, and thinks he’s a smartass.

“No.” I say one final time. Never turning around. The guy from before lunges at Sorrengail and my heart pumps with adrenaline thinking he’s going to to us all a favour, but she moves just in time, walking out onto the parapet; and surprisingly, she looks more stable than she did before.

Xaden finally looks away from her, locking eyes with mine, I smile so wide my face hurts. He smiles to but it’s small, quick, like it never even happened. The sky darkens above us as rain starts hammering down. Great. Now I have an even bigger chance at dying today. Awesome, just awesome.

The two candidates in front of me make their way to the outcropping. I commit the first one’s name to memory. Barlowe.

All too quickly it’s my turn to give my name, “Adalaide Riorson.” I lift my chin and say it with pride.

“Riorson?” A rider with his sleeves ripped off questions.

“Yes, Riorson.” The voice comes from my left. Xaden. “It’s good to see you.” He nods at me and I nod back, not really knowing what to do in this moment. If I hug him, like I want to it will make us both appear weak. Emotional.

“I didn’t know you had a sibling, that’s all.” He puts his arms up as is surrendering to my brother.

“Good luck.” The rider with the roll says, as if he’s a robot, only programmed to take names and say ‘good luck’; to people whose this day might be their last. It’s not mine, I tell myself. I will survive. I will be a dragon rider. I turn my head side to side, cracking my neck and taking a deep breath. Come on Adalaide, you got this.

The rain pelts me from every angle as soon as I step up onto the parapet. I hold my arms out for balance, praying to Zihnal that I make it again to Malek that he doesn’t take me. I’m already three quarters of the way across when a a scream renders me breathless. Holy shit, Barlowe just threw the candidate in front of me off the bloody thing. He shouts into the rain “you’re next Sorrengail!” Well that gets her moving. She was doing well until, well… that. This guy is really hell bent of killing her.

She stumbles, and falls on her knee with a crunch. Ouch. From here I can see how white her knuckles are with the strain of holding on for dear life. By some miracle she manages to get her boot under her again and rise up slowly. I only now notice, she’s wearing two different types of shoes. One looks to be a proper riders boot, and the other some cheap old thing, the sole on it must be slick as shit.

I’m thankful Xaden snuck me a pair of proper boots last year, gods know where he found them, but I’d probably be dead already if I didn’t have them. I continue to watch what’s happening ahead of me, while still being able to keep my footing straight and stable.

Barlowe has caught up to her by a considerable distance, he’s practically right on her heels when she jumps the last few feet down onto the safe grounds of the rider quadrant. She spins down on her knees pulling a dagger out of somewhere along her ribs, and placing it just in front of Barlowe’s ball's before he can jump down too. It’s so unexpected I actually laugh. As much as I don’t like her, she’s got spirit and she wants to survive.

One of my braids whip the side of my face from the wind, unlike some people I saw in the queue, I kept to hair long, not wanting to cut it. It’s currently tightly placed in two brains down my head, stopping in the middle of my back. Besides, my hairs too pretty to chop off.

I reach the end of the parapet, jumping the last few feet like all the others did. “Name?” The roll keeper asks.

“Adalaide Riorson.” I say, lifting my chin in the exact way I had in the other side.

“I didn’t know he had a sibling.” She says. I roll my eyes remembering what the guy has said before. Does anyone know I exist or am I just a myth compared to my brother? But the only thing I can think of now is: I made it. I survived, and I’m officially a cadet in the riders quadrant.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: Roll Call

I walk into the courtyard with only one mission. Finding Imogen. While Xaden was fostered with Liam, I was fostered with Imogen; after losing both her mom and sister in the executions, I tried my best to make her feel better. I told her that we would get our revenge together.

I spot Garrick almost immediately, and when he spots me too I return his wide grin. "Addie," he says when he reaches me, holding his hand up for a high five. "Well done." 

"Thanks Ricky," Ricky has been my nickname for Garrick since we were kids, and he hated it, but surprisingly, he never told me to stop, so I didn't. "Any chance you've seen Imogen in all of this?" I ask, looking around and through the mass of cadets still flowing through. 

"No, but once you see her you can't miss her. Just look for pink hair, and you should find her no problem." He says, with a smirk. 

Speaking of problems. "Garrick," I say, my voice is smaller now.

"Yeah?" He says, worry creeping into his tone. 

"Violet Sorrengail is here." I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. 

"Yeah, she's joining the Scribes today." He says. So he doesn't know, he hasn't seen her or her freaky silver hair yet. 

"No, I mean here, as in the riders quadrant, Garrick." It's vital that every marked one knows she's here, she could have been sent here to spy on us for all we know.

"What?" There's laughter in his voice, before he suddenly turns serious. " You're serious? This isn't some kind of joke?" He questions. 

"Yes, I'm serious, and this Barlowe guy almost threw her off the parapet. He wants her dead, and he's not one of us." By that I mean he's not marked. He has no sprawling Rebellion Relic up either of his arms. I checked. 

"Does Xaden know?" He asks, pulling me into a quiet corner, shadowed slightly in darkness.

"Yes, he knows, they had a whole 'you're so and so's child' confrontation on the turret; but he didn't do anything, he let her cross Garrick. I have a feeling about her and it's not a good one. Why would he let her cross?" Calm. I need to stay calm. 

"Shit. I don't know, I don't know okay. Go find Imogen. I'll find out what we do from here, okay? Just... go find her, she'd love to see you." He drags a hand down his face and I can see the frustration and confusion bubbling inside of him. I do as I'm told like some toddler whose dad just told her to stay seated, I walk off into the forever growing crowd of cadets. 

Fifteen minutes later and I'm still trying to find Imogen. Surely she's got to be here, in some alcove or surrounded by a crowd of friends. "Come on Im, where are you?" I whisper to myself just then someone walks into me from behind.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry." I turn around quickly, to find non other than Violet fucking Sorrengail. She clearly has no idea who I am. She didn't take notice of me on the turret. She takes me in, studying me from top to bottom; taking in my braided black hair to the sheaths at my ribs and daggers they house to my riders boots. She then looks back up at my face. "I'm Violet." 

She holds her hand out, as if I'm going to shake her godsdamned hand. But nonetheless, I give her my name. "Adalaide... Riorson." I draw out my last name and it gives the desired effect. Her face blanches, growing paler than it was a moment ago. But she recovers quicker than I thought. 

"You're Xaden's sister." It's not a question. 

"Yes, I am." I fold my arms over my chest. copying what my brother had done on the turret. I study her. She's small, and has zero musc le whatsoever, and of course the silver hair. 

"Are you going to kill me too?" She asks, standing up straight. 

I might as well be honest. "I'm debating it. But it looks like you've got a lot to worry about already, so you better watch yourself Sorrengail." I say, referring to Barlowe from the parapet. "And my brother is more of the kill - first - ask - questions - later, type of guy, I'm surprised he let you pass; if you do anything he doesn't like, you'll be six feet under before your blood grows cold." I shift my weight from one foot to the other. I see who can only be Commandant Panchek step forward on the dais out of the corner of my eye. "See you later, Sorrengail." I say with a smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes, I turn back around and walk further into the mush of people. 

"Okay..." I hear her mutter under her breath. I find a spot where I can see the dais perfectly. I watch as  Xaden climbs the steps to join leadership, according to his letter, he's a wingleader this year. Panchek waits for everyone to quieten down before he begins his 'famous' speech. 

"As the codex says, now you begin the true crucible!" Panchek bellows. "You will be tested by your superiors, hunted by your peers and guided by your instincts. If you survive to Threshing, and you are chosen, you will be riders. Then we'll see how many of you make it to graduation." It all sounds so fun. "Your instructors will teach you, it's up to you how well you learn." This is going to be the longest three years of my life. 

Suddenly, I feel an arm rest on my shoulder, "You know, I never got your name," the guy from the turret says, looking down at me. I shrug his arm off my shoulder and sigh, still trying to focus on Panchek. "Who put you in a mood?" He asks. 

"I'm not in a mood." I say, turning around to face him. He looks the same as he did earlier, with a smug smile plastered on his face. 

"I think others would disagree." 

"Whatever." I mutter as I turn back around, but when I look at the dais Panchek has stepped away, a woman has stepped forward.

"I'm Nyra, the senior wing leader for the quadrant and the head of the First Wing. Section leaders and squad leaders, take your positions now." Her voice echoes around the courtyard.  

"I still haven't got..." He starts again. 

I interrupt him, "Riorson, Adalaide Riorson. Will you leave me alone now?" I ask. He almost looks shell shocked by my name, turning towards the dais, looking at Xaden standing with his arms crossed over his chest on the dais, and finally noticing the similarities.  

"Damn," He says looking directly at me again. " Your brother is terrifying." 

I smile slightly, "He's not." I say shaking my head, I've heard stories about Xaden, how he's a heartless man who will stop at nothing to avenge his father. Xaden is many things, but heartless is not one of them. 

"Are we talking about the same person?" He asks, eyebrows raised. 

"Yes, now shut up." I say, now focusing on whatever Nyra has just said. 

"Of course, darling." just ignore him, Adalaide, just ignore him. 

The roll for First Wing is finished and Second Wing has started, a woman with red hair calls name after name, people shifting and walking to the Wing, Section and Squad they've been assigned to. "Ridoc Gamlyn." The red head calls out, and the man next to me walks away without another word. At least he knows how to stay quiet when told too, I guess. "Adalaide... Riorson." The woman pauses before reading out my last name, surely some people should know my father had more than one child, right? 

Whispers fill the air as I walk to where I've been assigned, I hate when people stare, how they judge just because of my name, or my relic. Sometimes it makes me feel ashamed of myself, for who I am and not who I should be. Instead of being cowardice, I walk confidently to Second Wing, Flame Section, Second Squad, and I see the man... Ridoc stood in line. Fucking. Hell. Of course we're in the same squad, why wouldn't we? And not only that, Dain fucking Aetos, is my Squadleader. 

"Violet Sorrengail." No, no, no. This is the worst day ever. I'm in the same squad as a fucking Sorrengail. She walks confidently, the same as I had and takes her place in formation. Right in front of me. Luckily for her, we are in the same squad, meaning I can't kill her. Barlowe, however, is in First Wing, he can kill her. I look to find Xaden on the dais, see what he thinks of this, but he's already looking our way, at Violet with murder in his dark eyes. Violet must be looking at him too because he raises an eyebrow, and turns to the guy next to him, whispering something. In less than a minute, all the Wingleader's have joined in the conversation. 

They finally break away and Nyra declares, "Dain Aetos, you and your squad will switch with Aura Beinhaven's." I see Aetos nod and as one the squad moves. We walk past Third Wing, and what is clearly Beinhaven's squad, and our new formation in Fourth Wing. Xaden's Wing. He looks at me so quickly I almost miss it, he nods, and I know exactly what he means. I might not be able to kill her, but he can.  She's in his Wing now, under his control and mercy; and I'm guessing she knows it too. 

The roll is over now, and I'm shifting my weight from foot to foot as Xaden steps forward. I notice Violet in front standing stiff as a board as she watches him. "Take a breath, Sorrengail." I whisper, but she only stiffens. "Seriously, breathe. No one is going to kill you in formation." I try to calm her down, if she collapses, I'm not catching her. She finally relaxes slightly, her shoulders sagging. 

"You're all cadets now. Take a look at your squad, these are the only people guaranteed not to kill you." I shift slightly, eyeing the silver haired girl in front of me. when I look to my right, I see a flash of pink. Imogen. She must feel me looking at her, because she turns almost instantly; we both smile widely at each other. we're in the same fucking squad. My sister. "... Just because they can't end your life, doesn't mean others won't. You want a dragon? Earn one." His voice is dark, booming through the formation and round the courtyard. He pauses for a split second, almost as if he's letting the high possibility of death sink in. Cheers sound around me, Ridoc claps from behind, Violet however, stays silent. "And I bet you feel pretty badass right now, don't you first years?" Cheers again. "You feel invincible after the parapet, don't you? You think you're untouchable! You're on the way to becoming the elite! The few! The chosen!" They're all eating out of the palm of his hand, greedy for more. The cheers are louder now, growing. Then I see them, dragons. They're huge, they're wings cover the sky in various colours.

"Oh gods, they're beautiful." A tall girl with sharp cheek bones - Rhiannon says. I couldn't agree more, they look deadly and wonderful at the same time. All eight of them perch on the wall of the courtyard, they're talons scrape against the stone, digging in. Instead of cheers, cadets scream. A navy one directly in front of our squad, blows a sulfur-filled breath.  Dain mutters something I can't make out. 

A Third Wing cadets sprints for the door near the centre, but I know he won't make it. one out of three of the red dragons opens its mouth, it's like a huge black hole; fire engulfs the cadet. He's ash in a millisecond. More screams. Two more cadets bolt and I feel the heat of the flames against my face. I keep my eyes trained on Violets hair, the braided silver strands. I can't look up, I don't want to.  "Anyone else feel like changing their mind?" Xaden shouts. "No? Excellent. Roughly half of you will be dead by this time next summer. A third of you again the year after that, and the same your last year. No one cares you your mommy or daddy is here. Even King Tauri's second son died during his threshing. So tell me again: do you feel invincible now that you've made it to the Riders Quadrant? Untouchable? Elite?" Silence. Utter silence. All eight dragons exhale as one. It's fucking terrifying. "Because you're not untouchable or special to them." Xaden points to the massive navy dragon, leaning in, telling us a secret. "To them, you're just the prey."   Well he certainly knows how to make a person feel uncomfortable and scared, that's for sure.