Chapter Text
XADEN
It happens quickly. I don't know how I find myself on my knees in front of her black boots lined with steel. Her eyes are cold as the wind raging from the dark storm above us. My teeth chatter. General Sorrengail of Basigath's War College, Riders Quadrant looks down at me.
"Fen's boy" she says looking at me like I'm something of disgust that her boot turned up, "Kneeling before me?"
Another General stands at her side. His uniform is pristine, he does not look like he belongs here at all. His eyes look down on me with cold condemnation.
The chaos around us is a mix of indistinguishable screams and wails. They're burning. The burning is still stinging my own skin, and from the corner of my eyes, I can see them shrieking - the kids who are now just discovering that the burning has left markings, patterns against our skin. Mine wrapping around my wrist where I held my rune clutched in my hand when it happened, and I feel the fire coiling against my neck. When the dragon, a terrifying black, fiery beast breathed fire on us. My eyes quickly scan every child, they're burning but at least they're alive, some of them scratching at their skin where the markings are, others laying on the dirt floor screaming. At the center of the stage tied to iron polls were our parents were. I clench my fist, my nails piercing at my skin to stop the raging waves of emotion that threaten to overtake me. You will live my father's last words to me, I stop myself from allowing the guilt of our last fight to drown me. Not now, not when I need to do this. There isn't time to think.
"Speak" General Sorrengail commands. Her voice strikes, sharpened like a whip.
I swallow hard, but my mouth is dried. The temperature must have dropped because it feels colder and I begin to shake in my thin tunic. I feel a thick hand connect with the side of my face sending me sprawling before grabbing me by the hair yanking me up. A cool blade pressed against my neck.
"Already disobeying the general's orders? His blood is traitorous!"
"Let him down, Colonel Aetos," General Sorrengail says coldly never taking her eyes off me.
"Take your revenge now Lilith, you'll never get your son back, and now Riorson can no longer protect his" His voice unhinged with eagerness.
I am struggling to breath against the blade. Fear quickening my breath making it even harder and I blink my eyes against the stinging, the side of my face feels numb. I cannot fail. Lilith turns her head ever so slightly and I shiver under her gaze, she is calculating, no doubt, whether it's worth it to end my life now. Then she breaks the silence.
"I have avenged my son by killing his father," she says watching my expression. The stinging in my eyes increase as I feel a traitorous tear trickle down the side of my face to my ear as I keep my chin up against the sword. "The boy has been punished for his father's crime."
"But not for his treason" Colonel Aetos says, his fingers bruising my shoulder where he grips it, his voice reminds me of the slippery slime that forms at the top of the castle walls of my home that's now burning with the rest of Aretia. Another traitorous tear follows the first.
"And what do we have here?" If I thought I couldn't hear anything worse tonight I am wrong. As if he hasn't just committed mass murder of all our parents, General Melgren strolls over. All the kid's soul wrenching screams fill the arena and he's fucking strolling. I fucking hate him.
"Riorson's boy wants an audience with General Sorrengail and the King, himself" Colonel Aetos says with an incredulous laugh.
Melgren turns his head at me in calculated curiosity,"And what makes him so brave?" He tisks, "So reckless?" He leans closely to look down his hooked nose into my eyes as if he's looking for something.
I flinch. "Shhh...there, there. We don't have to pretend to be such a big boy" he says as his hand traces the side of my face down to my neck where the fire burning does not stop, he traces the markings down to my collar as he pulls my tunic back to see how far the pattens go. My eyes blink back at the burning, coiling hot pain I feel under his fingers. His hand remains on my face, and I hold myself together enough not to throw up on his shoes. Then he lowers his head to mine and in a lower voice that only I can hear he whispers, "What a strange occurrence? What magical secrets did your parents hide that have you surviving dragon fire that even I didn't see?" he looks me up and down his eyes darkening. I look him directly in the eyes without wavering, willing him to look away. The weight Liam's mom's protective rune sitting heavy in the back pocket of my pants.
Melgren breaks the eye contact then closes his eyes and nods as if communicating with the dark beast behind him. The dragon watches me, and I can't look away. I see every single line that marks his ridged nose, every single golden fleck in its eyes, its head turns slightly. A chill races up my spine. I am going to die.
Melgren nods, clearing his throat. The dragon breaks his eye contact "General. His life is rightfully yours, after what Fen Riorson did with your only son, that talented boy, truly a shame" Melgren nods at her, then he gestures to the procession that was sitting in the stands. The Royal Procession.
King Tauri, dripping in sparkling jewels that contrast the dark, smoking arena and a heavy gold crown that lines his golden hair is flanked by riders in striking black uniforms and the infantry arrive on stage where the executions had occurred only moments ago. The riders line up in perfect formation from the front to the back. King Tauri looks past me at the children rolling on the ground, flaying in pain or crying in horror and then at me like I'm the nuisance that caused it. General Sorrengail salutes him and all the riders follow beside her follow suit. Riders, Dad never liked them, but they had all the power because behind them stood even larger beasts. Dragons who breathed fired that could destroy entire cities.
"Release him, Aetos" General Sorrengail says, and I'm unceremoniously dumped on the ground as Colonel Aetos wipes his hands on his uniform.
"On your feet" she snaps at me. I pull myself up off the cold floor.
"Xaden! No!"
My insides clench in horror. I hear Bodhi's cries as he runs to the stage to me, I see a rush of infantry running towards him. One of them punches him in the stomach and the other kicking him as he doubles over while a third lifts his baton to strike. I close my eyes. I can't breathe. It costs every last fiber of strength not to rush to his side, not to even look at him. I see Colonel Aetos watching me with glee as I stand by helplessly. As if a child like Bodhi could be a threat to the King with his entire army of infantry, his specially trained riders in black armor and their fire breathing dragons?
Fury rages through my veins. All pleasantries be damned. I clench my fists at my side, pure will to survive is the only thing stopping me from running to Bodhi's side and beating the living shit out of every hand that touches him.
"I want a chance."
They all turn towards me. There's a wave a shock reverberating among them.
"A chance?" The King questions, raising his brows.
"To prove my loyalty to Navarre and the King" I say, unwavering. I can see the effect it has on them; I hear the rush of whispers and I try to drown out the sounds of my cousin's cries.
"And tell me, boy" King Tauri says coldly his emerald eyes paling, "How could you ever prove your loyalty to me after the trouble your father caused?"
"The Quadrant" I say, my voice is scratching. There's another murmur of shock among the generals, riders and the leadership.
"The Rider's Quadrant" I repeat looking at General Sorrengail. She is watching me with cold, calculated eyes the wind the storm rages around her. Storm wielder. I need her to believe me. And I'm ready to beg if I have to.
Colonel Aetos scoffs, "He wants to do go to Basgiath?" like I've just asked to be taken to a goddamned candy shop, he looks around to those beside him to see if their share his shock.
General Sorrengail raises her head, considering me.
"Per the Codex, anyone who crosses the parapet and scales the gauntlet, who bonds a dragon proves themselves worthy honor and loyalty to Navarre" I recite, holding myself together to keep my words steady. One of the last books my father asked me to read before the war.
Aetos looks between us in shock, Melgren's eyes narrow. I don't look at the King. I simply need to convince his most trusted General.
Lilith Sorrengail's eyes narrow at me, "But that's not all, is it?"
I take a breath, "Me and every separatists' child here"
"This is absurd!" Aetos stammers.
The King watches me, "You beg for their lives when I've chosen for them death?" his hand lifts to his chin, I see all his gold rings the weight of them alone could provide homes and shelter for many broken lives at the boarders.
I nod carefully.
"You wish to punish your father, even in his death" King Tauri smiles cruelly and I feel a dull ache in my chest at his words.
General Sorrengail clears her throat, eyes narrowing, "And who will take responsibility for all these children promising their loyalty to Navarre on your word?" As if my word is the most distrustful promise she's ever heard of.
"I will" I say, "Every single one of them will be mine and mine alone. If they should betray Navarre or it's King. I will stand for the execution." I raise my chin.
"Impossible! There must be at least a hundred of them!" Colonel Aetos sputters his voice pitching up an octave to a whiney hinge.
"One hundred and seven" I respond before I look up and meet eyes with the black dragon, its gold eyes brighten, and I swear I see it nod.
The Next Night
"It will need to be a blood oath" Melgren says, his eyes glimmer almost as yellow as his dragon. "You are familiar with it?" He stands wearing billowing green robes as if he will be attending a fine feast after this.
I nod once. General Sorrengail looks at him looking every bit formidable as she did the night before, ready for combat at any moment but today her uniform is decorated with all her battlement awards and I see a newer patch symbolizing her role in ending the rebellion. I am still wearing my tunic and pants from the night before, covered in dirt and smoke and grief.
"It's Tyrrish custom to take a blood oath for various reasons, protection, loyalty, even love" He says his eyes glint towards me, "Fen took one for his wife and then another for his son when he was born. Pity he couldn't uphold either" he says light watching me for any reaction to his words. I bite my lip. I know exactly where my father's scar was for me. I would trace it at night when bad dreams drove me to his room and I slept close to him as he would hold me to his chest. I blink away the memory.
"Savage customs of the Tyrrish" King Tauri says with disgust, "Markham, please have your scribe take note of this" King Tauri motions to a white robed figure.
"Of course, your Majesty, the Tyrrish will be remembered for their brutish ways and their traitorous malignancies." Markham nods taking a bow so deep that he's bent halfway to the floor.
Tauri nods, "Very good," Then he beckons two older boys to follow him into the seating area. We are in a decorated room and royal, elevated families of Navarr are all dressed up in attendance. All adults, no kids. For them we are the fucking entertainment. The two older boys with the King, I recognize, are his oldest sons. They wear their coats with white with gold brocade. One is watching me with look of hunger. Hunger for blood.
Then Melgren moves forward, "And since this act of justice is your right, General, you may have the honor" he nods handing her a blade from his cloak.
General Sorrengail regards me coldly, then shakes her head, "I use my own blades," she says and if I didn't hate her already, I watch as she removes one that is black, sharper at the end but thicker than that one Melgren offered. I swallow and look across at the kids. The infantry has lined up and shouted at them enough that they are silent. Many of them eyes wide in emptiness. I close my eyes but not before I see Liam is crying quietly wiping his face while and hugging his sister and Imogen pulling at her hair. I don't see Garrick or Bodhi.
General Sorrengail looks down at me, her look is enough to cause the air in my lungs to freeze and in a voice only I can hear she says, "I am opening the doors of my college to you and every single separatist child for you, in return for your loyalty and a favor"
What the fuck? I can't help myself, "A favor? What kind of favor?" Leave it to the General to throw a wrench in my own plans.
"I will call upon you and make it known to you at a later date," She says, sharping her blades in front of me, "should you fail to deliver, your life and every single one of theirs will also be forfeit"
I swallow hard, "I have no intention of failing" I say meeting her cold eyes. She nods once then walks behind me.
Two riders come forward with a contraption. This is not how we do this; I can't help but think, we are willing to take our oaths, proudly. Two irons are clamped on to my wrists attached to a wooden contraption that's made to hold my arms straight out to reveal the expanse of my back. The Rider to my right takes hold of my shirt and it is torn off like I won't need it later. I blink again, willing myself to find courage. But I can't. Suddenly terror takes a hold, as I'm forced to my knees by Colonel Aetos. Suddenly, I want my father. My mother. I want someone to take me away from here. I want to run. So maybe, it's good that my hands are locked in place. In the crowd my eyes find my best friend, he's standing on his toes to see me. Unlike all the other kids, he's not crying. When our eyes meet, he nods. He'll be at the end of the line. If I can't make it to one hundred and seven so that someone else will have his spot. What he doesn't know is that I won't stop knowing that he's at the end of the line. I nod back, allowing his gaze of reassurance to solidify my resolve.
A rider comes forward flanked by the two princes and shoves a thick bark so far back into my mouth then laughs as I gage, "Wrong way" he smirks.
"But it seems like he liked that" one of the princes says, he's shorter with a thicker build, he looks down at me like he's considering wringing my neck on the spot, he shoves the bark further down my throat. I blink back tears until Colonel Aetos ushers them to sit down. My eyes sting and I can't even look at my best friend across the arena.
Aetos places the bark between my teeth carefully, "You will be needing it" he says.
Fuck them.
Melgren stands in of the line and then his voice is amplified, "For the honor and loyalty of Sloane Mairi" he shouts. I don't hear the General Sorrengail behind me before I feel the cold, metallic puncture of her blade. It goes into deep, held for several seconds before I feel it cut downward. I hiss and wince at the pain. Pressing my lips together. She does nothing to lighten the force or depth of the cut. It's not scarring, it's wounding.
That's one. Sloane is safe, for now...
"One!" I look up to see from the crowd I noble man and woman raising a card. Someone next to me nods and scribbles on to a paper, Sloane bows to King Tauri through sobs and is led off stage.
"For the honor and loyalty of Liam Mairi" Melgren's voice grates in my head.
This time the blade feels sharper as the General cuts into my upper shoulder and pulls down. I feel pain doubling in my belly as I try and hold back from making a sound.
"Two!" A man shouts, waiving a card. They're auctioning off the kids to foster families? I can't fully comprehend what's happening as I feel hot liquid pour down my back, my own blood.
"For the honor and loyalty of Aya Hunter" I inhale. I hear the General grunt as she slices into me again. I inhale each time a name is called then hold my breath until I feel the dagger release willing myself into silence. I repeat their names over and over until the next one is called.
"For the honor and loyalty of Hector Conor" At twenty-four I let out a groan, I can no longer hold in.
"For the honor and loyalty Cianna Warin" At thirty-two I feel myself my forehead slick with sweat and back dripping with sweat and blood pooling around my my knees that are begging for me to collapse.
"For the honor and loyalty of Heaton Eddis" At Fourty-three I am biting down so hard on bark I feel my own teeth will shatter. The stabs are never slowed, they're long and deep each time. And they all feel wrong. They feel too much. General Sorrengail lifts her arm and forces each stab, punching a sensitive area so I can't seem to avoid the pain of it.
"For the honor and loyalty of Quintin Prior" Fifty-six is when I break. I shake uncontrollably; I can't seem to control my body with all the blood loss. My breath comes out in quick pants.
Melgren pauses but General Sorrengail does not. She continues completely unfazed. The list continues. I don't see all the kids faces but I do hear them, some crying quietly and others wailing, some even cursing my name.
"For the honor and loyalty of Bodhi Duran" One hundred and six. I have lost consciousness twice only to be revived by the healers standing by. Bodhi walks across the stage to bow to the king. His arm in a sling and his head wrapped, he's spotting a swollen purple eye.
"For the honor and loyalty of Garrick Travis" My best friend walks across the stage with riders flanking him, he's also sporting bruising on his face. He bows to the king. One hundred and seven.
And it's over for now. There's a standing round of applause, I look up and see, for General Melgren and General Sorrengail. I let my head hang, spitting out the wood piece, but not before I feel two hands that pull my forehead against theirs, Garrick presses his face to mine. He doesn't say a word, but tears begin to fall down his face, "It's over Xaden" he says his voice ragged, "It's fucking over". I nod choking back a sob, coughing. Bodhi is beside him, beside me and he looks up at me through panic in his eyes, "Can we get some water? he shouts, "Can we get a healer?" his voice hitches with emotion, "There's so much blood."
I see it, my pant legs soaked in it.
"Step aside," Melgren flanked by two riders comes through the crowd and pushes past Bodhi and Garrick. The riders at his side release my arms from the cold iron that bound it to the contraption. I fall to floor, willing myself to stand, I slip in the pool of blood. "You boys follow these gentlemen out, there is dinner and treats for you. You will be meeting your new families" I see Garrick and Bodhi share side glances at each other.
"We'll wait for him" Garrick states simply, Bodhi nods.
"He's not joining you all just yet, we have some questions and we need to make sure he's clear on his...agreement" Colonel Aetos steps into view and I'm lifted by two pairs of hands before I'm led into the opposite direction, towards the interrogation chambers.