Fourth Wing Fanfic: Fire Away

Chapter Four

When I awake I'm in a room. I'm out of that dreadful interrogation chair and take a deep breath, rubbing the small burns on my wrists. Those are like an itch compared to the ache filling my entire right side. I sit up and clench my teeth through the pain, I try to use the same method I use other times I've been fine, but it doesn't work. I'm in a large room with numerous beds placed in orderly rows, a hospital.

Nolan walks into the room and smiles at me softly. "Hallie, you'll be fine. Oh, and it's good to see you alive and all."

I smile cracks on my face and I stand up, assuming that was as good enough as a reason to leave. My legs are what I imagine is what it's like stepping on land after being at sea for so long and I grab the beside to steady myself. Shit. I feel like trash.

As I begin to start to walk out of the room, surprised by how walking is making the pain fade to a dull ache I hear footsteps thundering outside. Steeling myself I pick up my pace and see Xaden running towards me.

"Hallie," He yells when he sees me standing here. "I heard you were in the infirmary, but normally people in there take way longer."

I shrug nonchalantly. "Well, it helps when the only actual injury is this." I point to the new rebellion relic on my arm, it stretches almost to my neck and is rather close to Xaden's.

Xaden looks confused by this statement so I add on. "Nolan refused to heal me and Melgren didn't want you coming after him so he just gave me a relic."

Xaden sighs and looks at my relic in disgust. "I hate them. You will now face punishments that aren't even yours." Shadows swirl around him.

"So does every other 107 children that have it. I will take it and wear it humbly, but not with shame."

"Fine." Xaden grabs my arm again and pulls me away. "You've been scripted into the fucking riding quadrant as we all guessed, but tomorrow is technically parapet so I have been ordered by my superiors to lead you out of Basgiath as soon as you're awake."

I brush over the way he says 'ordered'. "So where are you taking me?" I plan to take everything that comes at me without anger. My life will not change if I choose to be angry, I will adjust.

...

Parapet is today and I'm alone. I slept alone last night, away from Vomryra which I haven't done in years. I felt powerless without her. I squeeze my eyes shut tight trying to clear my mind from her. I will need no distractions today.

I got to the line early with only a few people in front of me. The climb of some hundred steps hadn't been too hard, just boring. behind me were two girls, one with darker skin and hair and the other with brown hair fading to rather frail silver. Both were glaring at me and the relic on my arm.

I tilt my head up slightly turning to face them, their glares won't stop me from trying to make friends. "Hey."

They both just continue glaring. So I continue talking. "I'm Hallie."

The one with silver tips finally speaks. "Violet Sorrengail."

I think she wants me to make a big deal over who her mom is I plan not to. Last night Xaden had told me her mom killed our father. Then he told me we killed her brother the same day. I'm calling it even. "I'm assuming you're General Sorrengail's daughter."

"Yeah."

The darker-skinned one now speaks up. "Um, I didn't catch your last name." She was attacking me.

I step towards her keeping my chin up and my eyes locked with hers replying, "Oh right. It's Riorson. I'm Hallie Riorson."

Both of them take a step back and suddenly look like they don't want to be friendly with me. Violet's arms shake a little and I feel a little bad. I step backward giving them more space.

The dark-skinned girl narrows her eyes. "I thought Fen Riorson only had one child."

"Obviously not." I don't feel like being friendly with someone who can't look past someone's parents. "Now if you'll excuse me I have better people to talk to." I glare at her and then wave to Violet before turning my back.

The line begins to move and I take a deep breath. The parapet can now be crossed.

Behind me, I hear the girl whisper to Violet, "Why was she being so nice to you?"

"I- I don't know." Violet sounds shaken and I feel a little bad.

I hear another voice join the conversation and look back to see a boy built like an ox talking to them. "Honestly I'm surprised anyone is being nice to someone who is so obviously going to die before even reaching the parapet."

"I'm surprised a bastard like you even had the guts to show up here," I respond shoving past the two girls and into his space.

"And who might you be?" His eyes narrow at my rebellion relic. "And why might you be defending them?"

I grab for the handle of a knife Xaden gave me, but don't I'll save those for later. "Because I hate a cocky dick who thinks he can bully anybody just because he can."

"You'll eat those words."

I tilt my head slightly and this time both girls go in front of me. "I'm sure I will, but they won't get your wrath."

He smiles deviously. "I look forward to seeing you on the parapet."

"Same to you," I motion tipping a hat to him and turn around in disgust. "Ugh, boys."

Both of them are gaping at me in complete shock. "That was fucking awesome," the girl that seemed against me proclaims. I scan them, surprised that neither had gone into defensive mode, they both don't seem to mind I took that battle for them.

"Someone needs to teach them their place." I extend one of my hands to her and she grabs it, I take that as treaty of understanding.

"I'm Rhiannon by the way." 

We finally reach the top moments later after companionable silence.

I see my brother at the top, but he hasn't noticed me. "Name?" He questions not even looking up from the sheet he's holding.

"Rhiannon Matthias." Rhi steps out of the way, but stops to wait for us.

He scrawls it down quickly and repeats the question to Violet, I'm certain he's said that at least one hundred times today.

"Violet Sorrengail."

Now Xaden looks up. He detects Violet first and his eyes narrow, then his gaze wanders to me and they widen. I shake my head just enough for him to perceive, but no one else.

I can see the gears run through his head before he says, "Sorrengail?"

Shit. He's not going to take this well is he?

"You mean General Sorrengail's daughter?"

Violet nods and then looks back at me. She seems to swallow an impossible lump as she notices the similarity between me and Xaden. "Riorson?" Her voice comes out as a whisper.

He nods and steps into her personal space. "Your mother killed my father."

I need to stop this conversation now. I shove my way past Violet and put a hand on Xaden's shoulder. He is shaking, seething with anger, he flinches at my touch. My voice is steel, no argument. "And we killed her brother. We're. Even."

Something flickers behind Xaden's eyes, a moment maybe, but I discern it and tuck it somewhere I won't forget it. "Fine." he barely seems to manage this word through his clenched teeth, but I let out a sigh of relief. He continues and I mentally want to hit him. "I don't need to kill her when the parapet will do that just as easily."

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