Reuleòlas

Parapet

As Clara and her brother, Liam, entered the very crowded courtyard, they were immediately bombarded with kids being sent off and the unbecoming scent of sweat. Even with the rain slowly drizzling down, the heat of bodies being squished together still wafted here and there creating unwelcoming warm pockets of air as they walked down to sign in.

Up ahead Clara spotted the different groups of men and women breaking off into their chosen quadrants. It made her gut wrench as she spotted the few other marked ones being silently forced to enter the deadliest quadrant. The riders. Of course, if you pass, you're welcomed in most spaces with equal amounts fear and respect, but the path to that had a slim-to-none chance of survival.

As they inched closer to their turn, they heard  a rather precarious conversation.

"By the gods, your Mira Sorrengail?". Who Clara assumed was 'Mira' responded rather smugly

"I am. This is my sister Violet. She'll be a first year"

She drowned the conversation out and turned as well as she could towards her brother "Sorrengail, as in General Sorrengail? Didn't she give the order to kill mom?" she asked rather salty.

"She is, but remember it was her mother, not her. If we judge her for her mother's actions were no better than them. That's the Navarrian way, not the Tyrrish." Liam responded with a soft nudge

While she huffed, she didn't argue and they continued until it was their turn.

"Name?" A drone-like voice sounded

"Liam and Clara Mairi. " Liam replied for the both of us. He looked up from his scroll stared at their wrists for longer than Clara was comfortable with a responded with a rather rude 'up the stairs and onto the parapet'

"Thank you" She replied curtly, before taking Liam's hand and walking away. "How are you feeling about today?" Clars asked as they wound the stairs to what could be otheir potential death or the beginning of what would become our death.

"I guess kind of disappointed. I've always wanted to join the riders, you know that, but when I had a choice I could always back out if I had last minute decisions. It was nice to have a choice" he emphasised. "But now even if I didn't want to do this I don't have that same choice and it's disappointing." He sighed

"I get what you mean, I never wanted to join riders at all" she began "I always wanted to join the healers, I felt that's what was best for me but now, there's no choice but for me to walk myself to my death" she looked up and continued "we'll just have to live it out I guess" she shrugged and continued walking.

their conversation didn't pick up from there as they continued winding up the last couple steps to the top. Suddenly she felt herself being pushed forward and looked up at Liam who just replied

"Just a precaution" with a smug smile

As they exited the stairwell, three riders stood at the entrance. One of them was sitting down, recording names, she assumed, and the other two stood on either side of him, most likely counting. As she made her way to them, she felt her neck burning with a strong gaze.

"Name?" The male sitting down had asked, trying desperately to cover his roll with a cloak to prevent the heavy downfall from purging it further

"Clara Mairi" she replied walking up to what could've potentially been her death with confidence. As she stood on the parapet, she turned back and found a tall man with a rebellion relic, similar to hers, winding from his wrist, into his shirt, and back up his neck.

"Good luck Mairi" his gruff voice sounded. Snr gave a toothy grin and replied

"I'm not gonna need it" before turning, giving Liam a peck on the cheek and walking back out. While she did so, she heard the start of the conversation between the tall guy and Liam.