"Your tongue is sharp, Little Dragon. But my blade is sharper."
Vesta Melgren x Xaden Riorson
A/N Just a disclaimer, I don't own or take any credit to anything having to do with Fourth Wing. That all belongs to the Original Author Rebecca Yarros. Al...
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Knowing I am in direct disagreement with General Melgren's orders, I am officially objecting to the plan set forth in today's briefing. It is not this general's opinion that the children of the rebellion's leaders should be forced to witness their parents' executions. No child should watch their parent put to death.
—The Tyrrish Rebellion, an official brief for King Tauri by General Lilith Sorrengail
No matter how often Vesta was subjected to these things, she always managed to space out.
Every. Single. Time.
It's not that she didn't think they were important, it was more the tone in which the battle briefs were relayed. The monotonous droning always made her ears ring, the muscles around her right eye twitching with boredom. Besides, the topic of todays brief was something she was well acquainted with. Her father liked her to be well prepared, and informed.
"First topic of the day." Professor Devera moves toward the map and flicks her hand, bringing a mage light directly over the eastern border with the Poromiel province of Braevick. "The Eastern Wing experienced an attack last night near the village of Chakir by a drift of Braevi gryphons and riders."
Vesta rolls her eyes at the open-mouthed expression of shock plastered on Violet's face as she hurries to jot down notes. The scribe in her was showing, Vesta chuckled at the irony.
"Naturally, some information is redacted for security purposes, but what we can tell you is that the wards faltered along the top of the Esben Mountains." Professor Devera pulls her hands apart and the light expands, illuminating the mountains that form our border with Braevick. "Allowing the drift not only to enter Navarrian territory but for their riders to channel and wield sometime around midnight."
Vesta scowled, the General had expressed his anger with this situation to her very... thoroughly. Dragons aren't the only animals capable of channeling powers to their riders. Gryphons from Poromiel also share the ability, but dragons are the only ones capable of powering the wards that make all other magic but their own impossible within our borders. They're the reason Navarre's borders are somewhat circular—their power radiates from the Vale and can only extend so far, even with squads stationed at every outpost. Without those wards, we're fucked. It would be open season on Navarrian villages when the raiding parties from Poromiel inevitably descend. Those greedy assholes are never content with the resources they have. They always want ours, too, and until they learn to be content with our trade agreements, we have no chance of ending conscription in Navarre. No chance of experiencing peace.
But since we're not on high alert, then Father must have gotten the wards rewoven, or at least stabilized.
"Thirty-seven civilians were killed in the attack in the hour before a squad from the Eastern Wing could arrive, but the riders and dragons managed to repel the drift," Professor Devera finishes, folding her arms over her chest. "Based on that information, what questions would you ask?" She holds up a finger. "I only want answers from first-years to start."
