Happy Birthday Mr Wingleader

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/52783972.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Fandom: The Empyrean - Rebecca Yarros
Relationships: Andarna & Violet Sorrengail & Tairn, Xaden Riorson & Violet
Sorrengail, Xaden Riorson & Sgaeyl & Violet Sorrengail & Tairn
Characters: Violet Sorrengail, Xaden Riorson, Tairn (Empyrean), Sgaeyl
(Empyrean), Andarna (Empyrean), Lilith Sorrengail, Colonel Aetos
(Empyrean), Dain Aetos
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2024-01-03 Words: 4,130 Chapters: 1/1
 Happy Birthday Mr Wingleader
by SunflowersAndViolence

Summary

Xaden just wants to go flying for his birthday, and bringing Violet along is the best present he
could think of for himself.

Xaden POV set during Chapter 24 of FW. Spoilers for both books!

Notes
See the end of the work for notes
The frigid wind slices right through my winter riding leathers and cloak as I make my way
past the piles of snow that have been shoveled from the courtyard. Morning formation ends
with Fitzgibbons commending souls to Malek and I turn to find Violence in the formation
behind me. Her squad is down a couple cadets since one had their fire signet manifest in the
worst way during Carr’s class, and two more were frozen to death in the middle of Battle
Brief.

“Are you three already at the flight field?” I ask Sgaeyl, not even bothering to reach out to
Tairn. That miserable fucker is always snarling at me anyway, and asking him to fly in the
cold and snow today is bound to make it even worse.

“Not until the last possible moment. I won’t stand around waiting for you and the girl while I
freeze. My comfort comes before your desire to leave the walls of your prison today, even if it
is your birthday.” A grumble comes with the words.

“As if your comfort doesn’t come before everything else on every other day.” I scoff, but I
know she and Tairn and Andarna will be at the flight field on time.

As I walk up to Second Squad, I hear Dain-fucking-Aetos lay into them about getting to
class. He turns to Violence and snaps, “Especially you. A signet would be great , you know.
If you can make that happen.” As if any of us has any control over when or how our signets
manifest.

I see Sorrengail’s face go through about six different emotions before she settles on
disappointment. The mere fact that she still cares for Aetos after the way he’s treated her the
last eight months makes me want to kick out the back of his knees just to watch him bow
before her. She deserves so much better than him.

“Are you suggesting you are the better choice for the silver one?” Sgaeyl’s amusement drips
in each word.

“No. I’ve told you countless times now. It’s not happening between us.” But damn straight if
I’m not better in every other way than the shit-stain memory reader Aetos.

“Keep telling yourself that if it helps you sleep at night. Which you aren’t.”

It’s true. I’m not really sleeping. Between all my wingleader duties, weapons runs, and the
extra training time I’m making for Sorrengail, I don’t think I’ve had more than four
cumulative hours of sleep per night for the last month. Nothing new really, but I wish today
could at least be different.

“I’m fine, mother hen.”

“She’s going to miss Carr’s class today.” I walk up behind Sawyer and interrupt whatever
bullshit Aetos was about to spew.

“No I’m not,” Violence shakes her head at me, and damn it if her anger isn’t sexy as hell.
Whenever she gets that stubborn look on her face all I want to do is haul her against me and
kiss her until we’re both breathless.

“She needs to go,” Aetos says in the weak ass argumentative whine he always uses. But
because his Codex-loving ass remembers I’m his wingleader, he grits his teeth and adds, “I
mean, unless the wing has more pressing matters for Cadet Sorrengail, her time is best spent
developing her wielding skills.”

If only he knew how many hours Cadet Sorrengail and I have spent in the last three months
working on her wielding, her flying, and her sparring. I level an annoyed glare at the second
year and tell him, “I think we both know she’s not going to manifest a signet in that room.
She would have already if that was the key.” I’m impatient to get to the flight field, and I
really don’t want to deal with any more of Aetos’s shit right now. So I pull the wingleader
card once again. “And yes, the wing has more pressing matters for her.”

“Is it the wing, or is it your own personal matters that are more pressing?” Sgaeyl teases me.

I mentally flip her the bird. It’s my birthday, which typically sucks anyway. Ever since Dad
was executed only Liam, Garrick, and Bodhi have even acknowledged my birthday. Today
I’m feeling reckless and want to spend it flying. Flying with Violence is an added bonus. I’ve
even come up with a valid excuse of why we’re all flying today, with a plan slowly coming
together to help her keep her seat.

“Sir, I’m just not comfortable with her going a day without at least practicing her wielding,
and as her squad leader—” Aetos struggles to put any sort of authority into his voice even
though he has none, especially over me.

“For Dunne’s sake.” I just want this over with, so I reach into the pocket of my cloak and
take out Dad’s pocket watch. I hold it in my outstretched palm and bark out an order. “Pick it
up, Sorrengail.”

Violence glances between me and her sniveling squad leader before I see her begin the
process of grounding in her power. She instantly gets goosebumps, and raises her right hand.
I swear I can feel her power stretch across the few feet that separate us. She stalls for a
moment, then pushes forward again, and I feel her power brush my hand when she closes it
around the pocket watch and pulls.

She’s incredible. I watch as she feels the weight of the watch, as it plummets towards the
ground, and then she snaps her hand back and catches it just before it hits her in the face. I
continue to be astounded by this woman, her resolve, and her determination. Pride swells
inside my chest as her squad mates clap for her.

I walk toward her and pluck the watch from her fingers, then drop it back into the pocket of
my cloak. I probably shouldn’t have had her practice with Dad’s watch, but the sentimental
part of me that had grabbed it this morning wanted her to see a part of me that I normally
don’t show to anyone. To let her in the tiniest bit.

“See? She’s practiced. Now, we have things to do.” I turn away from fuckface Aetos with a
hand on the small of Violence’s back and lead her out of the crowd.
Stop touching her asshole. She isn’t yours.

“Where are we going?” She questions and it takes all of my control, and a healthy amount of
regret, to take my hand off her.

“I’m assuming you’re not wearing flight leathers under that cloak.” And I’m definitely not
thinking about the way her regular uniform is hugging all her curves. I open the door to the
dormitory for her and wait for her to walk inside first.

She stops and stares at me as if she’s never seen me before.

“What?” I ask, closing the door behind us to shelter us from the freezing cold. Being so close
to her in the hallway is starting to warm me already.

“You opened the door for me.” She says, almost in wonder.

“Old habits die hard.” I shrug. “My father taught me that—” Shit. I cut off that train of
thought as soon as I realize I said it out loud. Every muscle in my body tenses up as I
remember exactly who we both are. Her mother killed my father. My father shot Brennan.
Grief that today is spent in a hell hole prison instead of with the only one who really loved
me shoots through me like a crossbolt.

“Don’t you think it’s a little cold for flying?” She asks, and I know she’s trying to help by
changing the subject. Her ability to sense what other people need in a particular moment
sometimes knocks me sideways.

I blink to clear away the pain. “I’ll wait here.”

I spend the five minutes she takes to change into winter flight leathers outside in the hallway,
doing my best to not think about Dad, Aretia, or the fact that Violence is currently naked on
the other side of that door. I school my features by the time she comes back, and resolve to
act like the asshole everyone thinks I am. We walk across the courtyard as stragglers run
towards their classes to not be late.

“Headed your way,” I give Sgaeyl the heads up so she and the other two dragons can meet us
in the flight field. I can feel the huff of resignation from her as she prepares to take off from
the Vale, but she doesn’t respond. I wonder what the flight will be like if both the weather
and my ruthless dragon are going to be frigid towards me.

“You didn’t answer me.” Violet breaks through my musings finally.

“About what?” I keep my eyes on the gate to the flight field path, forgetting to shorten my
stride for her shorter legs.

“About it being cold for flight.”

“The silver girl has got a point, loathe as I am to agree with her about anything.” Sgaeyl
chimes in.
“ Give me just today, please. I promise I’ll give you as much of a break as I can after today.”
I plead with her. I don’t ask her for much, and I’ll probably never hear the end about how soft
I’m being today, but it’s worth it for just one day of peace.

“I’ve already agreed Shadow One. Consider it my birthday present.” A wave of warmth
comes from her, and I thank her.

Returning to the woman beside me, I reply, “Third-years have flight field this afternoon.
Kaori and the other professors are just taking it easy on you guys, since the Squad Battle is
coming up and they know you need the practice in wielding.” I push open the gate and she
hurries through into the tunnel.

“But I don’t need the practice?” She asks, her voice echoing. She doesn’t know the task that
the wingleaders, namely me , have come up with for the Squad Battle. Wielding will be
helpful, but not necessary to win the final challenge.

“Winning the Squad Battle is nothing in the scheme of keeping you alive,” I deflect. “You’ll
be on the front lines before the rest of them come next year.” The mage lights wink on and
off as we pass under them, casting a harsh light over us both. With Sgaeyl and Tairn being
mated and unable to be away from each other for more than a few days, it seems likely
Violence will have to put herself at risk every few days to keep her dragon happy. It’s my
responsibility to make sure she’s prepared for that.

“Is that what’s going to happen next year?” She asks as we exit the tunnel on the other end,
blinking as the snow blinds her vision. It’s piled high on both sides of the path. “I’m going to
the front lines?”

“Inevitably. There’s no telling how long Sgaeyl and Tairn will tolerate being separated. My
best guess is that we’ll both have to sacrifice to keep them happy.” Like I’m not sacrificing
enough already. I don’t sleep, I train Violence, I make weapons runs, I keep the other marked
ones safe, I try like hell to manage my role in Aretia as an Assembly member, and I have to
do it all under the radar of Basgiath leadership. It seems like everything I’ve done for the past
three years is a sacrifice, with no end in sight. I’d thought graduating from this hellhole
would grant me some sort of freedom, but with Violence tied to me for the rest of our lives it
seems unlikely things will improve at all.

She nods, but drops the subject as we pass the Gauntlet. “Second Wing,” she murmurs,
watching the squad slide across the ascents. “You sure you don’t want your own squads out
here practicing?”

A smile tries to work itself onto my face, but I fight it. “When I was a first-year, I thought
winning was the pinnacle, too. But once you’re in your third year, and you see the things that
we do…” My jaw flexes in anger, since nothing about this college or any of the challenges
prepares anyone for what is actually out there, what the biggest threats facing us really are.
Plus, it’s the final War Games that are designed to take out as many mediocre riders as
possible. Likely to give only the strongest riders the chance to graduate and serve on the front
lines. “Let’s just say that the games are a lot more lethal.”
We head towards the staircase that climbs the cliff next to the gauntlet so we can reach the
flight field, but Violence stops as she notices a group already headed down it. I hear her quick
intake of breath, and see her snap into an attention stance next to me as Commandant
Panchek and fucking Colonel Aetos reach the ground. Godsdamnit. As if one Aetos wasn’t
enough today, now I have to deal with his prick of a father. Both of them completely ignore
me as Aetos turns to Violence with a smile.

“At ease. You’re looking well, Violet. Nice flight lines,” the lame ass dad joke falls from his
lips as he gestures to the goggle lines on his own face. “You must be getting a lot of airtime.”

Violence relaxes slightly and gives a tight smile to the Colonel. “Thank you, sir, I am.”
Thanks to me . “Dain is doing well, too. He’s my squad leader this year.”

That ass wipe’s name in her mouth makes me want to puke. Is he the one training her on the
mat? Is he the one teaching her how to ground and shield and wield? Is he the one currently
on the way to the flight field with her? It’s a good thing no one is paying me any attention, or
they might see the shadows at my feet start to swirl.

“He told me.” Aetos senior grins, the pride and arrogance wafting off him in clouds. “Mira
asked about you while we were touring the Southern Wing last month. Don’t worry, you’ll
get your letter privileges in second year, and then you can keep in touch more often. I’m sure
you miss her.” The condescension in his tone riles my anger to new heights. This
conversation can’t be over soon enough.

“Every day.” Violence nods, and I can hear the emotion in her voice that she desperately tries
to control. Brennan has told me stories about how close his sisters were, how close all of
them were when they were kids. Sometimes Brennan and Mira were thick as thieves, and
other times Mira and Violence were the inseparable ones. They all had to miss each other,
though I had no idea what missing a sibling would be like. The closest I could come would
be Liam, Garrick, or Bodhi. The years we were separated were miserable.

Someone else descends the stairs and I automatically stiffen. General Sorrengail steps out of
the stairwell. Her very presence makes me recoil with loathing. Couldn’t I catch one fucking
break today, of all days? I hate being this close to her, especially since she called in the favor
and made the deal to keep her daughter alive. The scars on my back were my choice, my
deal, but the unnamed price for that deal was the life of the woman standing next to me. The
woman that I couldn’t keep out of my thoughts, the one that I was slowly admitting to myself
that I wanted to spend every spare minute of my time with. Hell, I kept making time I didn’t
really have for her.

“Mom.” Violence blurts out, bringing me back to the present. General Sorrengail meets her
daughter’s eyes after a cold assessing sweep.

There’s zero warmth or familiarity in her voice when she speaks to her daughter. “I hear
you’re having trouble wielding.”

Damn. I would have thought a mother, even as big of a coldhearted bitch as Lillith
Sorrengail, would have at least greeted her youngest daughter with a little more affection.
Guess Brennan wasn’t exaggerating when he said his mom would sacrifice all of her children
if it protected Navarre.

Violence blinks and takes a small step backwards, and I have to use every ounce of control
not to reach out to her. “I have the best shields in my year,” is her only response.

“With a dragon like Tairn, I would certainly hope so.” Her mother cocks an eyebrow in clear
disappointment. “If not, all of that incredible, enviable power will have been….” Her sigh
makes a puff of steam in the air. “Squandered.”

The ice cold bitch has no idea how brilliant, amazing, astonishing her youngest daughter is. I
can feel Violence’s shame and tension like a physical ache. “Yes, General,” is her reply.

“You have been the topic of some conversation, though.” Lilith’s gaze quickly passes over
her daughter’s hair in clear disgust.

“Oh?” Violence replies softly.

“We’re all wondering what powers–if any–you’re wielding from the golden dragon?” She
plasters on a smile so fake it almost cracks.

Fuck. Please don’t say anything. Please keep your promise to keep it to yourself.

“Nothing yet.” Violence says, and then licks her lower lip. I quietly release the breath I didn’t
realize I was holding. “Andarna told me that feathertails are known for being unable to
channel power to their rider. It’s why they don’t bond often.”

“Or ever,” Aetos senior cuts in. “We were actually hoping that you might ask your dragon to
allow us to study her. For purely academic purposes, of course.”

There’s not a chance the only thing they would do to Andarna is study her. They would likely
torture her, and figure out the fact that feathertails are juvenile, and can gift their riders a
power directly. This secret could be one of the most valuable that I carry, and there’s not a
chance in hell I’ll allow Aetos get his fucking hands on Andarna.

“Unfortunately, I don’t see her being comfortable with that. She’s pretty private, even with
me.” The brilliant, beautiful fucking woman answers, and if I could I would yank her against
me and show her just how amazing she is.

“Keep your composure, Wingleader.” Sgaeyl has been quiet through this whole exchange,
and of course she chooses that thought to add her commentary to. I can’t slam my shields
against her right now, since she needs to be aware of everything that happens in this
confrontation with leadership. But my displeasure with her is clear.

“Pity,” Ateos’s smile makes me feel like I’m covered in slime. “We’ve had the scribes on it
since Threshing, and the only reference they can find in the Archives about the power of
feathertails is hundreds of years old, which is funny because I remember your father doing a
bit of research about the second Krovlan uprising, and he mentioned something about the
feathertails, but we can’t seem to find that tome.” He scratches his forehead.
Wait, what? Violet and Brennan’s dad was doing research on feathertails? Is it coincidence or
irony that Violet ended up bonded to one? Either way, I don’t have the time right now to
parse over that revelation. I have to pay attention to the murderess in front of me.

“I don’t believe he finished his research on that particular historical event before he died,
Colonel Aetos. I couldn’t even tell you where his notes are.” I can tell she’s not being entirely
truthful, but I have to file those questions away for later too.

“Too bad.” General Sorrengail forces another fake ass smile. “Glad to see you’re alive, Cadet
Sorrengail.” Her gaze flashes over to me, and immediately hardens. “Even if the company
you’re forced to keep is more than questionable.”

You can fuck right off with that.

Violence tenses further, if that’s at all possible, but doesn’t react otherwise.

“I always felt that we resolved any of those questions years ago,” I reply, my voice low with
rage. The general murders my dad, has me take responsibility for all the separatists kids,
conscripts us to the Rider’s Quadrant, makes me personally responsible for the life of her
daughter, and still has the audacity to question me? Fuck her.

“Hmm.” Lillith dismisses me as she turns towards the citadel. “Do see if you can master
some kind of signet, Cadet Sorrengail. You have a legacy to live up to.”

“Yes, General.” Violence replies so impersonally towards her own mother, with none of the
confidence she’s shown in the last eight months, especially when her ire is directed towards
me. I keep the scorn I feel off my face as the general takes her leave.

“Good to see you, Violet.” Colonel Aetos turns to follow, while Panchek outright ignores us
and prances after them.

Silence reigns as Violence starts up the stairs, but her rage is palpable by the time we reach
the top. I ponder the Sorrengail relationships as I climb.

“You didn’t tell her about how you got out of the attack in your bedroom,” I state. “And I’m
not talking about me showing up.” I subtly hint at Andarna’s gift.

“I don’t ever see her. And you told me not to tell anyone.”

A tiny bit of trust, and a huge amount of respect, washes over me as I regard her. “Didn’t
realize it was quite like that between you.” We start down the box canyon toward the flight
field. “ Almost there.” I tell Sgaeyl.

“Oh, that’s nothing,” she tosses out flippantly. “She spent almost an entire year ignoring me
when Dad died.” She laughs humorlessly. “Which was almost as wholesome as the years she
spent barely tolerating my existence because I wasn’t perfect like Brennan or a warrior like
Mira.”

Obviously the woman had no idea how brilliant and perfect her youngest daughter was.
Violet was worth more than half this damn quadrant combined. “She doesn’t know you very
well, then.” I respond as I keep pace with her furious steps.

Violence scoffs, “Or she sees right through me. Problem is, I’m never quite sure which it is.
I’m too busy trying to live up to whatever impossible standard she sets to ask myself if
they’re even standards I give a shit about.” Her narrow gaze swings over to me. “And what
was that about anyway? Saying that you resolved questions years ago?”

“Just reminding her that I paid the price for my loyalty.” My brow furrows with memory of
my back being carved into by that foul woman and the weight of all one hundred and seven
people represented there.

“Paid what price?” She pushes.

Some things are too personal to share. This is one thing I’m not willing to get into with her,
especially on my own fucking birthday. “Boundaries, Violence.” I say, and lower my head for
a second before schooling my features back into the mask I wear.

Tairn, Sgaeyl, and Andarna land across the flight field, breaking the tension of the moment. I
get a rush of warmth when Violence’s face lights up at the sight.

“We’re all flying today?” She asks, following me towards the trio of dragons.

“We’re all learning today. You need to learn how to stay on, and I need to learn why the hell
it’s so hard for you,” I answer. “Andarna needs to learn how to keep up. Tairn needs to learn
how to share his space in a tighter flight formation, and every other dragon but Sgaeyl is too
scared to fly closer.”

Tairn chuffs as we approach.

“And what is Sgaeyl learning?” Violence asks warily, eyeing my navy blue girl.

“Not a damn thing. I’m perfect. ” Sgaeyl says just to me.

“Hardly. Everyone has something to learn today.” I grin and reply aloud, “She’s been leading
for almost three years now. She’s going to have to learn to follow. Or at least practice.”

Tairn’s chuff sounds suspiciously like a laugh, and Sgaeyl snaps at him, baring her teeth and
coming within inches of his neck. “Like Tairn knows how to follow anyone either.”

“Dragon relationships are absolutely incomprehensible,” Violence murmurs.

She has no idea. Before I can think better of it I say, “Yeah? You should try a human one
sometime. Just as vicious, but less fire.”

“And would you be volunteering for said human relationship?” Sgaeyl outright snickers at
me.

“Shit. Enough. Not up for discussion. Be nice to me.” I tell her as I mount with ease. “Now
let’s go.”
“Only because it’s your birthday.” And honestly, I couldn’t ask for a better present. Flying all
day, with my girl and my Violence at my side. Not mine.
End Notes

This is my first fan fiction, and I took a lot of direct lines straight from Chapter 24 of FW.
Any feedback is welcome, however I will not accept any notes on calling Dain an ass wipe.
That line is perfection, thank you. :)

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