dinner time approached, the cadets had about an hour each day to eat their meals. they could come anytime within the hour to grab food but most of time cadets would eat together. earlier, xaden wanted dain's squad to be under his leadship which amelia hated. she was worried what he would do to violet.
she knew of mira's warning and the way he looked at her before she started the parapet. this was going to be hell, trying to protect violet from him and dain was only talking about switching her to the scribes.
amelia, rhiannon, and violet were walking to get food along with other members of their squad." jack is such an ass " rhiannon said. amelia was explaining to her what happened on the parapet.
" i know- " amelia started to say but her shoulder was roughly hit by someone.
it was girl with short-pink hair, she had a rebellion relic on and her stare was not pleasing. everyone could tell she hated amelia and violet with a passion. " watch it princess "
amelia's nose crinkled, she had a habit of doing it when she was annoyed or jealous. " leave her alone imogen " a familar voice was heard. it was the blond that bumped into amelia earlier.
" you're defending her now, really liam? " imogen said pissed off and walked away.
liam smiled at amelia, " eat well, first-year " he walked off leaving violet and rhiannon in shock.
" what was that about? " violet said confused at looked at amelia. " i bumped into him earlier and he started calling me first-year, that's all that happened " amelia said stunned.
a smile appeared on rhiannon's face, " you my friend, might have an admirer " she said grabbing amelia and violet's arm and pulled them to get food. everyone was hungry especially after surviving death.
the girls entered the line, they had come a little bit later than everyone else so the line wasn't as long and some of the tables were free. " look all the rebellion kids eat together " rhiannon whispered for the other two to look in one corner.
sure enough, they were all eating dinner together with imogen still pissed off. " amelia elsher and violet sorrengail, three o'clock " bodhi said whispering to the others at the table.
the rebellion kids looked to see the two general's kids getting their food, " you know, liam defened elsher " imogen said looking at xaden, she was hoping that he would say something to him.
" you bumped into her imogen, then told her to watch it when she did nothing wrong. of course i'm going to defend her "
meanwhile, all three girls and their squad members found a table to sit down at. " what i still can't believe is you pulled yourself up, hardly anyone has the strength to do that " sawyer, a repeat said.
" be honest, did you drink something magical to give you powers? " ridoc, a smartass who is pretty funny said to amelia.
she laughed and shook her head, " i'm a general's daughter. that right there is a enough said "
as amelia was eating a first-year came up to her, " h-hi amelia " one of boys said. he was scrawny and had black hair that was curly. she smiled at the boy who was very shy, that's when the asshat named jack said something.
" give it a rest kid, someone like amelia wouldn't sleep with scrawny thing like you " jack yelled which made everyone stop what they were doing.
even the rebellion kids looked up from their conversation, the boy looked down in embarrassment. " can you stop being an asshat for once in your life, tiny balls? " amelia shot back at jack.
" and how do you know if i have tiny balls, sweetheart? "
" i kind of figured by the way you act, it seems like you are trying to make up for the fact that you have nothing down there " amelia fired back with an innocent smile on her face.
her squad members and others around her started to laugh, even some of the rebellion kids snickered a little. " don't hurt your tiny balls on something, you won't be able to have any children then " amelia said teasingly as jack stormed out.
amelia spotted a flower in the first-year's hand, she guessed it was for her. " is that for me? " she said looking at him.
" yes, i thought it was pretty like you " he said handing her the flower, it was a small flower that he saw growing.
" thank you, it's lovely " amelia smiled, he regained his confidence and smiled back at her before walking away.
xaden's eyes shifted from amelia then violet then turned to liam and whispered something. " protect her, she's going to need it " is all he said before listening into the other conversation that was happening at the table.
⚔︎
the next day battle brief was happening after the death roll was called in the morning, amelia couldn't help but feel bad for dylan. poor dude didn't even make it past the parapet. battle brief was the class that all years which made violet and amelia nervous.
" welcome to your first battle brief " professor devera begins. " in the past, riders have seldom been called into service before graduation " the professor continues to talk about borders.
amelia and violet were studying the map that was on all the wall of the classroom, amelia trying her hardest not to drown out the professor. she wasn't the best at studying which why her violet's friendship worked.
amelia helped violet in tranining and violet helped amelia with studying, actually more like violet helped amelia for her entire life. after the elsher girl was done studying the map she turned to professor devera who was saying their was an attack.
" come on, first-years, show me you have more than just good balance. show me you have critical-thinking skills to be here " professor devera demanded.
amelia looked around at the first-years who were scared to say anything, that's when someone finally spoke up. " is this the first time the wards have faltered? " one says in front of violet.
professor devera and professor markham share a look before turning back to the cadet, " no "
" and how often are they faltering? " another asks.
professor markham's shrewd eyes narrow on her. " that's above your pay grade, cadet" he turns his attention to our section.
" next relevant question to the attack we're discussing? "
" how many casualties did the wing suffer? " someone else asks.
" one injured dragon, one dead rider "
" why would you ask that particular question? " professor devera asks the cadet.
" to know how many reinforcements they'll need " he answers.
professor devera nods, turning toward pryor, one of the first years in amelia's squad, who has his hand up, but he lowers it quickly, scrunching his dark eyebrows. " did you want to ask a question? "
" yes." he nods, then shakes his head. " no. never mind "
" so decisive " luca another squad member mocks from next to him, tilting her head as cadets laugh around them.
amelia rolled her eyes, she was huge pain in the ass since all the squad girls room together. her personality was going to get her killed.
" he's in our squad," aurelie chastises, narrowing her eyes oat luca. " show some loyalty "
" please. no dragon is bonding to a guy who can't even decide if he wants to ask a question. and did you see him at breakfast this morning? he held the entire line up because he couldn't choose between bacon or sausage " luca rolls her eyes.
amelia was going to say something, but professor devera had beat her to it. " if fourth wing is done picking at one another? " professor devera asks, lifting a brow.
" ask what altitude the village is at " amelia hear violet whisper to rhiannon.
" what? " her eyebrows furrows.
" just ask " she replies again, not wanting to gather anymore unwanted attention"
what altitude is the village at? " rhiannon asks
.professor devera's eyebrows rise as she turns to rhiannon " markham? " " a little less than ten thousand feet " he answers.
" why? "
rhiannon clears her throat. " just seems a little high for a planned attack with gryphons "
" good job " violet whispers to her.
" it is a little high for a planned attack " devera says. " why don't you tell me why that's bothersome, cadet sorrengail? and maybe you'd like to ask your own questions from here on out "
everyone turned to look at rhiannon, violet, and amelia who were sitting right next to each other.
" gryphons aren't as strong at that altitude, and neither is their ability to channel " violet begins to reply.
" it's an illogical place for them to attack unless they knew the wards would fail, especially since the village looks to be about what... an hour's flight from the nearest outpost? " she glances at the map. " that is chakir right there, isn't it? "
" it is" professor devera smirks. " keep going with that line of thought "
" didn't you say it took an hour for the squad of riders to arrive? " she inquires.
" i did "
" then they were already on their way " violet blurted out loud.
amelia nervously played with her fingers, she knew that people were going to talk about violet now.
" yeah, because that makes sense " jack turns around in his seat from the front row and laughs at her. general melgren, knows the outcome of a battle before it happens, but even he doesn't know when it will happen, dumbass "
rhiannon and amelia rolled their eyes at the dick head, of course he had to butt in and say something. " fuck off, barlowe " rhiannon snaps.
" yeah jack, shut the fuck up " amelia said.
jack was pissed, he was pissed last night because of her and now he was pissed again. but that's what he gets for being a dickhead.
" you know, i wish i could have gone back on the parapet to finish the job because your a grade a pain in the pass, elsher "
" and i wish you would drop dead, but wishes don't always come true now do they " amelia fought back.
liam and bodhi snickered a little, she was cute and nice when she wanted to be but shit the girl was sassy as hell when she hated someone.
" would you like to say anything, cadet elsher? " professor devera said.
" how else do you explain them reaching the attack site within an hour if the site is an hour away. they would need time to prepare their riders in order to defend the post. it would have taken them at least an hour and a half to reach the attack site and even that's generous " amelia says.
"because there would need to be time to warn the back-up troops of the attack, get ready for the attack and time to arrive at the destination. it would be near impossible to arrive there in an hour, prepared. so that would mean that they were already on their way " amelia finishes.
" and why would they already be on their way?" professor devera questions, eyes beaming with curiousity.
" because by some chance they knew that the wards were breaking." amelia states with confidence. when she was finished she turned to violet who gave her a smile.
" that's the most—" jack starts.
" one of the dragons in the wing sensed the faltering ward, and the wing flew. had they not, the casualties would have been far higher and the destruction of the village much worse " professor devera interrupted jack.
violet smiled at amelia once more, after a couple more minutes and zaden being the golden boy, class was over.
amelia kind of stopped paying attention and more so was thinking about what they had next. it was 1v1 fighting and even though she could fight, violet could barely.
she knew that's when people were going to target her, especially the rebellion kids who blame her for what general sorrengail did to their parents.
however, she was also excited because fighting is where she mainly was the strongest in. when you have all brothers who love to fight you kind of learn some tricks.