A Wedding in the midst of War

Gauntlet + Presentation

Today is the Gauntlet. I am terrified. I have a plan, of course. There are always more than one to achieve your goal. I just hope it works.

I walk in line with my squad waiting for my turn. There is 2 cadets in front of me. I go over the plan palming my knife during which time I can see Dain marching towards me. 
I groan, can't he take a hit. How did I become friends with him in the first place?
"Dain..." I say sarcasm bleeding down my voice
"What can I do for you today?"

"Vi..." I clentch my jaw. He doesn't get to call me Vi anymore. Not after what he did these past years; cornering at every chance he got, ordering me to leave the Riders Quadrant and go to the Scribes. Mom was right about one thing. I have a scribe's heart but I am a rider. 

Goooo, Violet. You can do it. Also, please. I am begging you, let me make a snack out of him. He is my favorite type of human. Rider, arrogant and jerk

I burst out laughing. He lifts his right eyebrow and I remember that I am not supposed to have a dragon yet. I compose myself. 
"Sorry, I ... You were saying?"
I forgot that when he is pissed he looks like 

"Lunch?"
"No, Andarna."
"Sorry"
"It's okay. Nice enthuasism though"

"Look Dain, if this is about deserting. Don't look at me like, it's exactly what you are asking me to do. The answer is NO. Now, will you let me pass? I have a Gauntlet to climb"
"Vi" Breath Violet, Remember what you told Andarna. No killing "I know you can't climb the Gauntler. Let me help you"
"You want to help me. Get this through your brain. I am staying at the Riders Quadrant and that's final. Remember mom used to say that the Riders Quadrant was dangerous but at least, everyone here is honest about their opinions simply because..."
"Because it cuts the bullshit"
"Exactly. Now if you don't want to be the bullshit, this place cuts, let me pass and leave me alone. I am more of a rider than you know"

I walk to the starting line as I hear Andarna chuckle through our bond
That you are

I nod at Imogen who has the timer and 3...2...1.. Go

(A/N : Too lazy to write the Gauntlet scene. It's exactly as the original one in Fourth Wing)

I made it. I actually made. And as a bonus, I got to stick it too Amber Maavis, 

I want to sleep on the floor. Convincing the high ranking riders to let me go through was the hardest part. Well, convincing Xaden and Garrick was fairly easy. They are whispering, noting my time when I stood in front of the table. Xaden had a bored expression. Nevertheless, there was a hint of pride and something else in his eyes. He was looking at me like I just hung the sun. Garrick on the other hand was smirking and offered me a thumbs up. No, the problem was Amber Mavis, the 3rd Wing Wingleader. How I hate her. There are rumours around her and Dain. Well if it's true then they deserve each other, lovers of the Codex. Screaming at me and acting all high and mighty. I have to say I did enjoy sticking up to her. Which reminds me I am going to get so much shit from Dain for not using the traditional way.

Finally, everyone in my squad is here. Now comes Presentation. I finally get to see Andarna instead of fleeting looks at my dragon. 

Garrick drops us in front of the entrance with a few rules:
- stay together but leave a certain amount of space between the one in front and behind
- continue walking 
- bow your heads at all times 
And finally DON'T ANTAGONISE THE DRAGONS

Like on the Parapet, I distract myself with knowledge of the different types of dragons and the hope of seeing Andarna. 
It smells of sulfur and burnt chair. 

"You humans look like so fragile. I just want to pick some random human up and squash it"
"ANDARNA"
"Sorry, it was so tempting. Over 250 humans are parading in front of me, I am just running my imagination. Especially the one in front of me complaining about my size or whatever"
I feel rage fill my entire body. 
"HOW DARE HE" I scream throught the bond. 
"It's fine Silver fox. Took care of him. The other dragons are laughing. Aha, I see you. To your left"
I turn my head to the left. In the furthest corner, I see a black morningstar tail dragon. The dragon is a little smaller than the others. Still, I recognise her posture, like a cat about to pounce and her eyes. My eyes water a bit. She is so big and beautiful. It takes everything in me to not run up to her. 

We start walking again when heat rushes right in front of Rhi. I snap back to reality and observe a pile of charcoal right in front of Rhi. 
I sigh in relief. She wasn't the target. From what I remembered the target was a hesitant boy constantly backtracking his decisions. I understand but still, I am going to be sick. 

"Rhi", I ask "You told your sister Reagan was pregnant. What do you think the child will be? Boy or girl?"
I watch Rhi carefully. My eyes come back into focus and understanding the silent use of the question, smiles gratefully. 
"Well, Reagan wants a boy but I think it's a girl. We have a majority of girls in the family. The poor child would be the only boy. I don't know if that would be a good thing for the child or us"
She answers light back in her eyes as we laugh at her statement. 
"True. I remember Brennan had this overflatted ego because he was the only boy but at the same time, he was a sweet heart. Always us before him because he was the only..."

I feel a heat of smoke sent my way and I stop on my tracks
"Andarna..."
"Not me and don't move. You know what to do"
"Right, keep your head down and slow movements"

A dark green dragon and a light green one strude towards me. I slowly turn towards them, my head still low. They walk even closer to me and then they start... sniffing me.
The light green's muzzle hits the corset while the dark green twirls around me sniffing my back. What is going on? Wait... The corset... Teine

"You smell Teine, don't you? Well Teine's rider, my sister Mira made this corset out of Teine's scales which would explain the scent."
Both dragons stop on their tracks, look at each other, turns their heads in different directions a little confused and head back to their positions

"Oof..." I sigh
"You can say that again. What's wrong?" Rhi asks
"Nothing... Well.. promise not to tell anyone" She nods "My corset is made out of my sister green dragon's scales. They must have recognised the smell"
"Wow.. that is such a good idea. Not just for you but everyone. Dragon scales are unbreakable and fireproof. With a protection like that, who knows how many deaths and injuries could be avoided."
"I know, I thought so too. It sincerely saved a few times."

"Your friend is right. A protection as such as that one would be most useful for the upcoming battle. Just my scales next time"
"Jealous?"
"What? No. Dragons are never jealous. I would like to limit this scene to never again"
"If you say so, Andarna. By the way, where are ..."

"Hey, guys. A person calls in front of Rhi. This dragon wasn't part of Kaori explanation. It's like a miniature version of Tairn"

"Well done, idiot. That was I was going for."
What? That doesn't make sense. I sense uneasy through the bond as she lifts her head up towards me and shuts me out

I take a last look at my beautiful dragon and walk out of the cave. 
"See you tomorrow, Andarna"