" It'll be almost refreshing to see more people other then riders.." Sawyer says as we all meet in our hall, it being Sawyer, Hetta, Ridoc, Liam and I.
As soon as Liam saw me his jaw hung open and I swore I heard him groan. Plus, by the looks he's been slipping me I can only imagine where his mind has went.
And that is why I purposely put myself on the end. To avoid anything else...
" Yea, tell me about it... I need some new ladies..." Ridoc sighs.
" Shut up, no riders want to touch you with a 20 foot pole." Liam adds.
We all laugh while Ridoc sends Liam a look... a knowing look. " Well, the ones that see me tonight won't know of my reputation."
" Of being a dumbass?" Hetta adds making as all chuckle while Ridoc simply scoffs.
I've scanned the halls.... No Xaden.
Basgiath was buzzing with life, people walking all about, talking, laughing, seeming like a normal college... without the daily DeathRoll.
" Isn't weird that we'll be Second years in a matter of 2 weeks?" Sawyer adds. " Seems like that year just started."
" Shocker we're all alive... Especially Freya over here.. How many assassination attempts did you have again?" Liam asks looking over grinning at me.
I smile rolling my eyes, " To many to count. Good thing I had good guards, Hetta, thank you."
Hetta grins looking at Liam then me again while Liam sends me a look before smiling again " Oh, your funny.."
" I prefer hilarious."
We go into the courtyard where it seemed like thousands of people were, it took nearly no time for Sawyer and Ridoc to go find some new blood to play with, leaving Hetta and Liam with me.
Both seemed tense... Right.. this is a celebration of their parents death.
" Your wearing your vest under...that right?" Liam asks glancing at me.
" What? No."
His eyes widen as his gaze snaps to mine " Your joking..."
" Liam I haven't worn my vest in... weeks. No one is going to try to kill me, they'd be... idiotic to."
" Now would be the perfect time to kill you, it's crowded, loud, it's more then easy for someone to just stab you and slip away... hell they could stay right where they were and put on a shocked facade."
" Liam..."
We stare at eachother as I cock a brow which he sighs looking around... tense as ever. I also see Hetta glancing around nervously, her cheeks flushing. I also see the looks, people looking at their exposes rebellion relics.
I grab both their hands " Come on... This is to crowded anyways we all can find somewhere a little quieter."
Liam gives my hand a reassuring squeeze as we walk, " How are you doing?" He asks.
I furrow my brow " What?"
He gives a small smile " Don't worry about me.. or Hetta. How are you doing?"
I shake my head a little " I'm-"
" This marks the anniversary of your brothers death." Liam adds.
My expression falls as I stare at him, feeling the pulse in Hetta's hand as he seems to tense or flinch. " Don't worry about me." I say quietly offering a small smile.
" Well I am. We both are." Liam mentions to Hetta. " We all lost people we cared about, but I'm not going to act sad and let them think-" He trails off as he's looking at something, his expression tightens.
I follow his gaze to... my mother...
Who was on a raised platform looking stoically through all the people, now looking at us.
At me.
Hands locked with Liam and Hetta's.
I see her face tighten, I feel Liam's grip loosen though I squeeze harder. " She's looking.." He whispers.
" I don't care."
I lock eyes with him, he looks surprised as he just stares down at me then smiling softly.
I give her one more look, " Come on.."
Though we don't make it far....
I see King Tairi with Melgreen, my mother saying something to the both of them and they make their way, all their eyes on us... what the hell...
" You two should go... Go back to your rooms maybe or-"
" I'm staying." Liam intercuts. " I'm your guard after all."
" Hetta?"
" Go." Liam urges.
" I'll see you tomorrow." I smile, he nods and weaves through the crowd.
" Freya Sorrengail!" King Tairi exclaims, he's a shorter fat man with rosy cheeks and a thick beard. He wears a sash full of medals of battles won, though he's never set foot on a battle Field, the most dangerous thing he's done in his life is almost die from obesity.
I plaster on a smile, bowing neatly, I see Liam do the same. " My King."
" We've all heard quite great things about the white haired Sorrengail. A white and gold dragon my dear? It's...amazing."
" Rhys and Andarna... Yes they're quite amazing." I smile.
" They've also given you quite the powers." Melgreen says with a certain... sharpness as he stares at me. " During their Squad battles she destroyed a whole fighting decoy, shot down the tower, there were great winds, trees down, even dried up part of the lake to make some of the thickest fog. Chaos right?"
Tari seems to almost gasp at this. I clench a smile " Yes, my manifestation was a bit... extreme."
" My daughters instructors said there hasn't been one like her in centuries, she's one of the most powerful weilding riders in the last decade. One being my oldest Brennan and the Riorson."
I nearly scoff at her term of ' The Riorson' I send her a fake smile. " I don't think I comapre to their abilities."
" Oh, don't be modest my dear." She fakes a laugh and tone that almost makes me cringe.
" And who is this.. gentlemen with you?" Tairi asks glancing at his rebellion relic.
Liam seems to stand a little taller, prouder. " Liam Mairi your Highness. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Tari gives a small proud smile, " And your signet?"
" Farsight." Liam answers confidently.
" As in Colonel Mairi?" Melgren asks eyeing him with such a cold dead gaze it makes me adjust to avoid shivering.
" Yes, though since I've been raised by Duke Lyndel."
" He's a great man, a very loyal man." He answers.
Liam smiles, " That he is."
" The Riorson bot was almost housed with you wasn't he?" Melgren asks Liam. " Where is he? I always like to see him at least once a year to make sure he's.. behaving."
" I assure you he is." I almost snap before I even know what's coming out of my mouth.
Making all of them look at me.
" I know Xaden very well. Rhys and his dragon Segyl are mated pairs." I offer a smile.
Tari's eyebrows shoot up. " Really?" Does this Overly stuffed man not know one damned thing about his warriors or dragons?!
I nod. " Some say they're some of the strongest mates."
" Well, I'm glad your there to keep him in line! We don't need him to follow his father, I've never seen two so simular!" He cackles, Melgren and my mom laugh with him.
I don't. I don't even smile making the laughter die quickly, and earning nasty glares from my mother.
" Oh look, there's Colonel Aetos son Dain... You'd love him." My mother says quickly.
Tari nods, " It was nice metting you Freya." He says sounding a little less cheery.
" The pleasure was all mine."
" You too Liam." He says quickly walking away.
I watch as they walk squeezing Liam's hand. " I hate them. I hate them for putting you all through this, like your the ones who-"
" I know." He says quickly " And I thank you for that."
I look back at him, who was again looking at me. " Let's get you back to your room before you get shanked and I... can try to forget this night."
" No, I want to stay-"
" Xaden... remember?" He says a little quieter pulling me with him. " Now let's go."
He kept a tight grip on me as we walked, soon breaking from the all the crowd into the semi empty stairwells where new found couples were making out, including Ridoc..
" Ridoc that wasn't the one you had this morning was it?" Liam said we walked past, whoeber the girl was slapped his face and descneded while Ridoc glared. " Seriously Mairi, Sorrengail? I had to listen about her lame ass farm for the past hour?"
" Go fish for another one!" Liam grins pulling me along.
" Your an ass." I chuckle.
He simply shrugs. " You know I did that poor girl a favor."
We both chuckle again reaching the first year dorms, then my room. We slow, Liam standing by the wall right next to the door where I am. " Your destination my lady..." He mocks formally.
I smile " Well thank you kind sir..."
He grins bowing slightly, " I forgot to tell you... you looked beautiful tonight."
" You did too."
" I know... I'm beautiful." Liam beams preening himself making me laugh. " Your an idiot..."
" So you've told me."
There was the tension filled silence again where we just look at eachother, my smile quickly disappears. " I'm so sorry..."
" About?"
" Been to quite a few already since it happened.... Never did I once think about the other end of it, I never thought about you guys. Here they are celebrating your parents deaths...and they make you participate-"
" Freya..." He says in all seriousness, " It's alright."
" You say that... and we both know it's not. It's shitty, that's what it is. And how they treat you..." I feel the heat within me rise, I feel it well in my face as I needed to look away from Liam. " Makes me want to burn this whole damn place down."
I see Liam stand rigid there, though slowly I feel his hand on my cheek, making me look at him. He was still serious but his features were softened as he looks at me. " That alone is better then any apology they'd give us. Sure it... sucks... but none of us go... I wanted to, Hetta wanted to."
I furrow my brows, " What? Why?"
" Because....Someone needs to watch you. And if Xaden stepped foot in there..." He shakes his head. " Xaden is a master of keeping his composure... not on a day like today though. This place would've been engulfed in shadows and death already."
" He seriously told you to look after me..." I say slowly. " I'll kill him-"
" No! No....no. No, he'd never ask us to do that.. not ever. I wanted to... we all know you like to get in trouble. Like you said earlier we have 2 more weeks before we're second years. Don't need you dying now."
I cross my arms, " Well, I'm not planning on dying anytime soon."
He grins, " Me either. So... I guess we'll need to keep eachother alive huh?"
" I guess so..."
" Go to bed beautiful." He says now with a tenderness that makes me flush. " I'll see you bright and early."
" Night Mairi."
I give a small smile as I walk in my room leaning on the door, listening to Liam walking back to his room.
I wait.....and wait..... Until I know for sure the coast is clear.
Then I go to find Xaden.