#ch: the darkling | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

moonlightgrisha · 11 months

Text

How to lose a secret

Ch. 5 Life as you know is coming to and end, as your secret is dangerously close to be revealed for good. [Masterlist] Previous - Next

As soon as you get off your horse, you know something is wrong.

Guards are waiting for you at the stable, which is definitely odd.

"How can I help you?" you ask politely, forcing yourself to smile.

"You must follow us", they answer. "The King and Queen require your presence at once".

Something is definitely wrong. "Just... let me stop by my rooms. I can't meet the King and Queen in this state".

You're dusty and sweaty for the ride, but the truth is that you are trying to buy some time. While you get cleaned, and the guards are waiting outside your door, you think and think, but your mind seems to have stopped working. You are still overwhelmed with what happened on the hill, but you didn't expect guards to come after you so soon. Also, they are First Army soldiers. Is the Darkling already here? Has he sold you out, yet?

You need to calm down.

So, you dress for battle. You put on your best garment. You braid your hair tightly.

Then you present yourself to the guards, and they lead you to the royal quarters, not so far away from your own. They shove you in, unannounced, and you almost stumble on your way in.

You disguise your loss of balance with a pretty curtsy, just as you should, but when you rise, your see the Darkling looking back at you.

"What is he doing here?" You cannot help yourself. He's right there, next to the King and Queen, in front of you. What you really mean is, "you traitor", but he doesn't even flinch. He just stares at you, emotionless, and that makes you so angry. It almost hurts, a little. But maybe that hard face means that he has nothing to do with all of this.

"You forget your manners", the Queen says. Of course.

"Forgive me, your Majesty". You look down and say nothing more, but you clench your fists, hard.

"The General has been summoned to help with this matter". As King Piotr speaks, you immediately realize that the matter is you.

The Queen continues. "We heard rumors."

You feel your heart missing a beat. "What rumors, your Majesty?"

"About you, cousin. Stories were collected from that village in the moorland, where your mother insists on living".

"You... investigated on me?"

"Just a precaution. You lived quite a retired life, cousin. I needed to know something more about you, before making any matches"

You know what's coming, but you can't stop it, and you wait there, listening. Your eyes shift to the side and you catch a glimpse of the Darkling. He's there, listening, pretending he's not that interested, once more. But he drinks on every word.

"Some people swear you spent almost every night in the woods".

You wonder how you'll get away with it, this time. You feel trapped.

"You don't deny it?". The Queen insists, since you say nothing.

"I'm quite the sleepwalker, moya tsaritsa", you answer. Half a truth, as always, the wisest choice, but maybe not now.

"This is not simple sleepwalking". The King sounds enraged, and you wince. "There are tales of strange things happening in those woods. Flashes. White lights. Some people told they saw your skin glistening."

All those years, you never realized you were spied on, or at least that somebody had seen you. You had been a naive little girl, playing with your secret. Tears are burning in your throat, but you swallow them. You are not giving any of them this satisfaction.

"Were you tested, as a child?" the King asks.

"Like everybody", you whisper, and the royal couple should know well enough what that means. Royal children were rarely tested. It was all a farce. Any Grisha in the royal family would have been quite difficult to handle, if not an embarassment, so their power were suppressed, or kept hidden. And there you were.

You don't know if the Darkling is aware of that, but he places a claw-shaped ring on his right thumb, then takes a steps towards you.

"You arm, please".

You suddenly realize that he's been keeping your secret. He told nothing to the tsar and he's not telling it now. He could easily reveal the truth, it would be a matter of seconds anyway.

But he's not betraying you.

The fact that he places his hand on your sleeve confirms it. He knows what happens, when he touches your skin.

You look at each other in the eye, while he pierces your forearm with his ring, and you don't stop looking, not even when a glistening, ethereal white light emerges from the wound. It's a melancholy light, the one that slips on your bedpost when you lie awake while the whole world drifts away in slumber. There is a long pause before the King asks: "Is that it? Is she the Sun Summoner?"

"No". The Darkling replies. He's still looking at you. He seems he'll never stop looking. "It's not the Sun".

You finally speak. "It's the Moon".

He breaks the spell, lifting the ring from your arm, but he doesn't really let go. Not yet. His hand lingers on you skin for a moment, while he gives you the faintest smile.

You should be desperate, but somehow you feel relieved. There's a freedom that comes with truth, even with the hardest one. Even if it means sacrificing everything that you were before.

The King has no time for sentimentality. "So? Can we use her?"

"Excuse me!?" You cannot believe your ears. The Darkling is still holding you and you abruptly lower your arm, breaking any connection with him that was left. "Use me for what?!"

The King ignores you. "Will she tear down the Fold, or not?"

You are in disbelief. There are a million answers you can think of, and not even a polite one. The Darkling too is about to speak, with a grave look on his face and probably a rehearsed reply. But the Queen precedes both of you.

"Patience, my dear husband" She manages to gracefully smile, somehow. "She is family. This must be handled with... discretion".

"Yes. It is necessary". The King looks at you like a strange creature. "The fact that you hid this power from us, under our own roof, it's more than a lack of respect. This is high treason. It is unacceptable".

You are quite sure they won't execute you, if you are so useful as you seem to be, but still a mixture of fear and rage takes over your mind. It is too late, now, for pleasantries, and you just snap.

"This... power, it is mine to give" you roar. "It is not a weapon, nor a tool, and it is not yours! And if you want it, you could have asked nicely, moy tsar".

"How DARE you-"

Just then the Darkling intervenes.

"She will move to the Little Palace at once. It's the safest place for her, and discretion is guaranteed".

You turn to him, eyes wide. "I'm just over here, thank you for asking".

"Oh, no one is asking you, cousin". The Queen articulates her words like you were a small child. "You kept a dangerous secret, and we are not going to investigate it further, as it turns out to be quite precious to our country. And you want what's best for the country, don't you, dove?"

"Naturally", you reply, grudgingly.

"You will be doing as you're told", the King concludes. "We will ask for weekly reports on this matter". That word, again. That's what you are.

The General bows his head. "That will be done, moy tsar".

The King gives you a last glance, then says: "You are dismissed".

You follow the General outside. There's no one else with you, and you expect him to turn and talk, maybe to gloat for entrapping you at last. Instead he walks in silence.

You break the silence first. "Did you tell them?" You want to hear from him.

"I told them nothing", he replies. "It appears it was just good timing. Or bad timing, as you wish".

"You must be pleased", you mutter.

"And why should I be?" He finally stops and turns to you. "Your own family didn't hesitate to sell you to me. Because that's what we are, to them: weapons. Precious commodities, as long as they have a use for us. I'll never be pleased to witness such trade".

That was unexpected. His words are overwhelming, and tears come back in your throat. By the time you have swallowed them down, he has started walking again.

"I'm not a fighter", you say, following him.

He glances over his shoulder. "Are you sure?"

"I'm no soldier and I'll never be".

"You don't need to be a soldier".

He keeps leading the way, but you hate to stay behind. So you speed up, until the two of you walk side by side.

As he turns your head to you, you whisper: "Better get used to it."

You keep your eyes in front of you, and don't see his bright smile.

196 notes · View notes

inevitably-johnlocked · 5 months

Text

Hi there Steph! I’m violia.

I was a diehard BBC Sherlock & Johnlock fan back in 2011-2012. I read fic voraciously and adored the show. Those months after series 2 aired were such a fun time to be in fandom and I remember it fondly! I eventually moved on from the fandom, (dropped back in briefly for series 3 & 4), but now for some reason, ten years later, I find myself being drawn back to it. I’m definitely feeling nostalgia for those first two series of the show, the excitement, creativity, fic and meta in fandom at the time, and just generally that entire early 2010s era. It was a different time.

Naturally, back then, I didn’t bookmark any of my favourite fics, and I’ve forgotten nearly all of them now. But I was delighted to stumble across your blog in my search for fics! So I’ve come to ask for some recs, if you have them! There are two different types of fics I’m looking for:

Fics that explore/feature depictions of London as a city. Descriptions of different parts of the city, Sherlock and John exploring the city (maybe in casefic), etc. I’m really interested in reading fics that are firmly and specifically situated in their settings.

Fics that stand out as having particularly strong British/English characterisations, dialogue, mannerisms and cultural references.

I’ve been using the search function on Tumblr to look for fics, which I will continue to do. But any help you could give would be greatly and gratefully appreciated. I hope you have a lovely day!

(submitted by vi-olia)

=====

Hi Viola!!!

Ah, welcome back again to the fandom!! I’m happy you have found your way here and have taken joy from my blog!!

Ahhh, this is a good question re: fics... for the first one the only one that comes immediately to mind is this one:

Darkling, I Listen by You_Light_The_Sky (T, 73,254 w., 8 Ch. || Fairy Tale AU || Loosely Based on Beauty and the Beast, Magical Realism, Suicidal Themes, Romance, Creepiness, Adventure) – No one who enters old London ever comes out. They say that the beast devours them. When his sister disappears, John ventures into the dead zone beyond the wall, and finds a brilliant madman under a terrible curse... Part 1 of Darkling I Listen + Extras, Deleted Scenes

And some other AUs that the names are escaping me, sadly D: I recently just read one that focussed a lot on London as a city and I can’t remember what it was, OOF.

As for the second one... Ah..... every fic kind of is that for me primarily because I’m an ignorant Canadian 🙃 hahah.

If anyone has something particular to suggest for either request please do!!

And thank you for your ask, Lovely!! Hope you’re enjoying your time here!! :D

#steph replies #johnlock fic reqs #help steph find fics #london fics #british fics #i'm the worst sorry :(

80 notes · View notes

bey0nd-1he-stars · 1 year

Text

Possible love - Nikolai Lantsov

Masterlist

Part 1

Pairing: Nikolai Lantsov x reader

Word count: 1839

Warning: mentions of crying, mentions of death (Vasily's so is it really a warning?)

Summary: After being married to Vasily for almost half a year, everything crashes at Nikolai's birthday party. Part 2 of Impossible love. Can be read as a standalone too.

The room had been decorated most beautifully. Sun shined in through the windows as the servants worked with setting the tables. You had just walked past, on your way to your chambers to get ready. It was Nikolai’s birthday party and even though he was your greatest heartbreak, you intended to attend. Vasily was going to be there too and he said he wanted his wife beside him. You’d only been married to Vasily for half a year but he still insisted you’d be by his side for every event the crown hosted since your wedding. It was a bit tiresome and you couldn’t say that he was the greatest company since he seemed to leave you alone at all of the events anyway.

But despite him being bad company and a terrible leader, the two of you had still managed to find some respect for each other. You didn’t know if it was the times he’d found you crying over your marriage, the times you’d screamed at him about being an arrogant little shit, or the one time you even slapped him across the face after he told you something quite nasty. You didn’t know that it was Nikolai who’d pulled his brother aside and threatened to kill him if he hurt a hair on your head, and both Vasily and Nikolai intended to keep it that way.

Now he was respectful towards you. He didn’t force himself on you like he’d done in the beginning, he didn’t say anything nasty to you or about you, and he didn’t hurt you in any physical way. It was probably very low standards for a marriage but you took what you could get. Sometimes, you’d even consider him kind. There were days where he’d come to your chambers with a breakfast tray and you’d sit in bed and eat together. You barely talked but it was nice anyway. Some days he’d taken you riding around the grounds, and one time he even helped you brush your hair in such a tender way you almost believed it was Nikolai. But it wasn’t and you were stuck with his older brother.

Pushing the door to your chamber open you stepped inside to the sight of Vasily in only dress pants and an unbuttoned shirt. He snickered when you stepped inside and gave you a smirk. You gave him a simple nod before walking behind the screens to change.

Nikolai pulled anxiously at his tie and pushed a hand through his blond hair. It seemed like he was always nervous about events nowadays. It was during those hours he couldn’t escape the sight of you on Vasily’s arm and it broke his heart every time he saw you two together. He knew you didn’t love your husband, and he knew that Vasily didn’t love you. But he was fascinated with you, which was why he insisted on staying married to you. That and the alliance it created with your country. You’d argued that that alliance would be just as strong if you married Nikolai, instead of Vasily, but who were you to disobey orders of the king and queen. Nikolai had tried talking his brother out of it too but without success. Now he threw a glance at the clock and let out a deep breath before steering his steps towards the ballroom.

He got an applause when he entered the room and caught your gaze from across the room when he looked around. You had a gentle smile on your face, Vasily’s arms around your waist and a beautiful, long gown that matched Vasily’s suit tie. Your hair was up in an elegant hairstyle and Nikolai felt his breath get caught in his throat. He sat down with the rest of his family at the table in the front. You were sitting beside him and your perfume had him losing his mind. But the dinner didn’t last for long. Nikolai and Vasily were soon arguing and in the midst of it all, chaos erupted. The Darkling’s nichevo’ya had found you.

Nikolai sprung from his chairs, taking ahold of you in one hand and grabbing the hand of the queen in his other, starting to drag you away from the mess. But you pulled your hand free from his grasp and despite fearing for your life you turned back around to get ahold of Vasily. You pushed through the crowd of panicking people and just as you were to grab ahold of him the nichevo’ya picked him up, burying its talons into his flesh and ripping his arm off. You saw the light fade from his eyes and watched as the shadow monster threw him aside and went for the next victim. That’s when you turned and ran, leaving everything behind you. In a hurry, you gathered your skirts in your hands and set off towards the tunnels underground.

Nikolai was panicking. You’d pulled away from him and disappeared into the crowd again, and he didn’t have the time to go after you. Now he could only stand in the entrance to the tunnels and push people inside, looking for you and praying to saints he didn’t believe in that you were okay and that you hadn’t gotten the same fate as he’d seen his brother receive. His eyes filled with tears at the thought of losing you but he whipped them away before they even got to fall. The image of you in your beautiful gown was stuck in his mind and now he used that image to look for the color of it in the crowd.

You could have taken one of the other entrances he thought as the crowd started to thin out and just a few single people came through at a time. But why would you? This entrance was closest. He ushered a man inside and helped one of the healers from the first army down underground. But where were you? He started walking towards the stairs again, contemplating if he should go up stairs again to look for you, but Tamar came running up the stairs before he got any further.

“I think that’s all of them. No one else is coming through the other entrances,” she told him, one hand resting on one of her axes, just in case. Nikolai gave her a nod but stood still anyway, waiting for you.

“Is Y/N down there? I lost her in the crowd,” the desperation in his own voice made him wince. Tamar could only shake her head at his question and Nikolai felt the hope drain from his heart. Then hurried steps could be heard in the stone stairs leading down to the tunnels. His gaze snapped up and the relief he felt when he saw you running down the stone stairs was something he’d never felt before. He wrapped an arm around your waist, leading you down to the tunnels, letting Tamar close the entrance behind you.

He brought you to a small room that you could only assume was his makeshift bed room down here. A big bed stood in the corner, a desk and a chair, and a few candles stood on the big table that took up most of the room. Stacks of rolled up maps and blueprints were messily laid on top of the table and a cold cup of tea rested on the corner of it. None of you said or did anything until you were behind a closed and locked door. When you heard the lock click you threw yourself in Nikolai’s arms, something you hadn’t been able to do since you married Vasily. And it felt like coming home. Everything about him was familiar. From the way that he held you and how he felt pressed against you, to the way he smelled and the gentle strokes he made up and down your back.

After hugging him for so long that you started to forget what had happened in the first place, you pulled away, whipping tears off your face. Nikolai had tears in his eyes too but he smiled through them, pushing a strand of hair away from your face.

“Vasily’s gone,” you whispered, eyes glossed over, voice broken. Even if you’d never loved him, you’d learned to live with him and you’d never wished for him to die the way he did. Nikolai sighted and nodded gently, “I know, love.”

“I’m so sorry Nikolai. I know you disliked him but he was still your brother,” you gently told him and rested a hand over his heart. You could feel it beating through the material of his suit. He looked down at your hand, placing his own on top of yours.

“I’m sorry too, Y/N. He was your husband,” Nikolai’s voice was just as careful as yours. The feeling of having you this close again made his feelings for you bubble over and drown him in want for you. But you’d just lost your husband, if he got together with you again so soon it would look bad for both of you.

“Well, I could never have loved him. Not like I love you.” Nikolai shook his head at your statement, “Don’t say that, it’s too soon. Even if we survived this attack, even if we survive this war. We don’t know if we can.” His heart broke a bit as he uttered the words but you both knew that it was true. But still, you shook your head at him. Everyone knew the sad love story about you and the two princes of Ravka. It wouldn’t matter to anyone other than the two of you if you got a happy ending.

“I was taken away from you and I had you taken away from me. I let that happen once before and I won’t let it happen again. I won’t be with you because of what everyone else thinks. If I’m not to be with you, it’ll be because you don’t want me. So tell me, Nikolai, tell me you don’t want me and I’ll leave,” your voice was honest but so gentle and soft. Nikolai knew that you felt his heart pick up and your beautiful eyes made him fall into an eternity where he only wanted you, only needed you. He closed his eyes, “You know that I want you.” You stood on your toes, brushing your lips against his and it was too much. Nikolai couldn’t not have you anymore. Before you were able to pull away from the barely kiss, he wrapped his arms around your waist, pulling you into him, pressing his lips against yours, kissing you like there was no tomorrow. For all you knew, there wasn’t. But this time, Nikolai wouldn’t take the risk of not spending his every last living second by your side. When you pulled away you were out of breath. Both your breathes were heavy and you barely heard what Nikolai said.

“I want you. I’ll always want you.”

“Then let me be yours.”

149 notes · View notes

depressedbagpipe · 2 months

Text

A Heartrender's Fire: ch. IV

Tolya Yul-Bataar x Lantsov!ofc

Words: 5205 Warnings: vasily lantsov, misogyny (mentioned), someone gets a hit to the head a couple of times, anxiety? i guess, david, netflix's poor pacing choices (what even is neshyenyer), made up ravkan A/N: and off we go! why on earth are these chapters so long like wtf am i writing💀 anyways, i think i suck at writing slowburn? or romance in general

Series Masterlist Previous chapter

IV: Every Monstrous Thing

“Why must you always play the diplomat, Nikolai?” Vasily spoke with disgust in his voice. “Grisha dining beside true Ravkan soldiers is a bit much for all our stomachs.”

“Wow, Vasily, I almost forgot how annoying your voice is,” Irina rolled her eyes.

“Really? I could never forget how stupidly insufferable you still are, dear sister,” he counter-attacked.

“Shut it, you two,” their Queen mother commanded lowly, smiling again for her fellow court members.

The lines on her face were a lot more prominent after Genya’s departure, and Irina almost frowned at the sight of her mother, looking old and frail. She had always known the constant alterations were only physical, but the Queen of Ravka had always made sure nobody would see her look anything other than perfect.

“We are all Ravkan here,” Alina spoke after a few seconds of silence, also wanting to defend herself against the heir to the throne.

The Sun Summoner sat next to Irina at the end of the table, the odd one out in the picture-perfect royal family. Nikolai and Irina had changed into proper garments as soon as they had arrived at the Spinning Wheel per their mother’s request, and seeing each other dressed in something other than their usual attire at sea was beyond baffling. It had been too long, and although both of them automatically knew how to behave as princes, Irina particularly felt she was playing a character.

“Doesn’t need to be us versus them,” Nikolai added, looking for conciliation.

“General Kirigan should’ve thought of that before he tried to murder my father and stage a coup,” he looked at the King, whose poor wealth was becoming more apparent with every passing second.

Nikolai and Irina shared a glance at their older brother’s words, never missing the double meaning Vasily always added when he spoke of his birthright. The King was leaning on his chair, barely touching his food, with his gaze lost somewhere in front of him. Irina almost felt bad for the man, yet he had barely shown any interest or affection in either of his lesser kids when they still lived in Os Alta. Deep down, he knew too.

“That said, absent their Darkling, the Grisha are rather easy to manage.”

“By ‘manage,’ do you mean ‘execute,’ moi tsarevich?” Alina asked with a fierce smile.

Irina repressed a smile, glad she had yet another person supporting her hatred for her older brother sitting next to her at the table.

“That fate is reserved for traitors to the Crown, Miss Starkov.”

“If the Second Army requires a leader loyal to the Crown to assure their fealty, then I will lead them.”

Irina gripped her goblet, suddenly interested in the dark and luxurious wine that she had been unwillingly drinking for the past hour. She certainly preferred the cheapest options in beverages, because those belonged at sea with Sturmhond and Ainthe.

Vasily laughed audibly, looking at their mother before turning again to face the Sun Summoner. “Why should I believe you have any loyalty to my family?”

Irina was already taking a big gulp of her drink when Nikolai stood up, his loud voice taking up the entire chapel they were having dinner at.

“Today marks the start of a new era of cooperation between Lantsovs and the Grisha,” silence filled the room as they stared at the second son, wondering. “I’m delighted to announce my engagement to Alina Starkov, the Sun Summoner and new leader of the Second Army. Together, we will build a better future for Ravka,” he concluded.

Irina quickly surveyed the room. All Grisha cheered, edged on by the twins presiding the table to the left. The rest of the court and soldiers weren’t as buoyant. They shared worried looks, some of them shaking their heads in disbelief, others frowning deeply, staring at the King and Vasily for guidance they wouldn’t ever get. Irina tried to remain impassive, showing no emotion. Princesses didn’t get to care about politics, according to her mother. That was only reserved for the King.

Nikolai sat down, yet his hand shook a little, drops spilling off his own goblet as he put it back down on the table.

“That was a bit much,” Alina commented, hiding behind her goblet. Her eyes were fixed on Mal, whose head had dropped in defeat.

“Understatement is overrated.”

Vasily didn’t take long to leave, either. His chair made a profound squeaking noise against the marble as he pushed his chair away, his meal forgotten.

“Thank Saints he’s gone,” Irina smiled, taking a big bite of her meal with a happy smirk, more animated than she had been since she had stepped foot into the dining room.

“Are you sure about this, Sobachka?” the Queen spoke to her son, her daughter forgotten. As usual. “I understand the political alignment, but is this what’s best for your long-term positioning?”

“This is what’s best for me and for Ravka, Madraya. Your other son is working hard to send this country into civil war. I aim to stand in his way,” Nikolai responded.

His mother sighed. “It’s best I’d better plan some sort of official celebration.”

“Now’s not the time for parties.”

“Back straight, shoulders back, elbows down. Smile,” Irina whispered to Alina, trying to fix the Sun Summoner’s posture. “If you’re about to become a princess, you need to start behaving like one.”

“You know I don’t plan on that,” she frowned, yet she followed the princess’s orders. Her attempt was almost comical with how she had been sitting before Irina’s comment, but she had to give it to Alina. It wasn’t easy pretending to be graceful and poised when all you would rather do was run free in the wild.

“I know. But they don’t,” Irina discreetly motioned to the people before them, soldiers from their royal guard, court members, and Grisha alike, staring at her with newfound expressions. “As long as you play the part, they’ll follow you.” She took another glance at her mother. “You want to be in her favor, too, at least for now.”

Both girls looked at the blonde woman, who, at the same time, was already setting the details for whatever celebration she wanted to throw in honor of her youngest son’s engagement.

“I’ll have my seamstress run you up something appropriate.”

Alina only smiled at her, taking another gulp.

Irina wanted to laugh, or cry, or both. When had life become so complicated?

–·–

“Sometimes I wonder,” Irina took a breath. “What would have happened if I had come clean since the start? Would Ravka be any different? A Grisha princess… maybe we wouldn’t be here now.”

Irina looked around, making sure to speak in hushed voices. Nikolai walked beside her, occasionally smiling at the many refugees that littered the Spinning Wheel. Tolya trailed after them, always vigilant, no doubt listening to their conversation, yet Irina didn’t mind. Tolya could always have access to the deepest parts of her soul, and she’d gladly allow him in every time. Nikolai had ordered Tamar to guard Alina while she remained under the Crown’s protection, knowing even in his own house she wouldn’t always be safe. Tolya, instead, guarded the siblings, becoming a safe shadow in every corner. Even though Irina hated having a bodyguard, she was glad it was Tolya trailing after her. She wouldn’t have felt safer had it been someone else.

“You know pretty damn well what would’ve happened, Irina. You would’ve become yet another pawn on Kirigan’s plan.”

“Would I?”

“Just think. The leader of the Second Army, betrothed to the princess of Ravka. It would only take him five seconds to get rid of his competition and sit himself on the throne.”

The girl frowned, stopping dead in her trail. “Is there any scenario where I don’t become a bargaining chip?”

Nikolai grimaced but didn’t need to say further. They both knew what the future for a princess always held, no matter the circumstances.

Her brother looked at her, almost pleading. “You would’ve left eventually, Irina. I know that. I know you. You were never meant to spend your days locked away in a palace.”

“Neither were you.” She jokingly punched his arm, eliciting a smirk from the prince.

“That’s why we have Vasily for,” Nikolai laughed.

“Thankfully.”

Nikolai smiled at two Summoners who bowed as they walked by them, and Irina stared after them longingly. Many Etherealki still wore their blue keftas, even though most of them rejected General Kirigan’s old status quo. Irina could understand them, anyway, wanting to at least feel like they had a place to belong. Wearing their keftas was the only thing tying most of them to their past –a past that had yet to be tarnished by civil wars.

“You know, blue doesn’t suit you,” Nikolai commented, quickly piecing the puzzle together after seeing what her sister had been staring at.

“Gold doesn’t either.”

Her golden apparel mirrored her brother’s. Both of them the vivid images of the golden Ravka. Even if there wasn’t anything left of it.

“I’d much rather see you in red.”

Irina and Nikolai had hidden their jackets, erasing any trace of Ainthe and Sturmhond. Nobody but them, save for the Heartrender twins and now Alina and Mal knew of their identities. Irina knew the day of the reveal was coming closer at a fast rate, but she wanted to hold on longer to her fiery red garment, a gift Sturmhond had gotten her after she joined his crew. It was only fit that his second-in-command would wear clothes worthy of a ship captain –especially if said captain could summon fire with just a thought.

Irina smiled a pained smirk. “You and me both.”

“When all of this is over, we’ll go back home. To the Volkvolny. To sea.”

The princess shook her head. “What about Alina?”

“What about her?”

She raised an eyebrow. “You like her.”

“And she likes Mal.”

“Besides,” she insisted. “We both know things are about to change forever. Doesn’t matter how much we want to go back, maybe we never will.”

They both frowned at the reality they had desperately tried not to think about. They both felt it deep in their souls –there was no turning back from this.

“Moi tsarevich!”

Both siblings turned their heads at the sight of Mal running after them, his eyes wild and angry. Tolya stood straighter despite Mal having proven over and over only to be loyal to his Saint.

“What’s wrong?” Nikolai asked, frowning.

“You better come see this.”

–·–

“David.”

Alina’s murderous glance was enough to make Irina shiver. Hers wasn’t the look of a powerful Grisha; hers were the eyes of utter betrayal. She arrived shortly with Tamar and Nadia, the Squaller that had welcomed her at the Spinning Wheel. Nikolai’s petite commitée had gathered at the same war room they had improvised the day before, only this time, David Kostyk, trusted Fabrikator back at the Darkling’s Little Palace, was pathetically standing by the center of the room, with both hands separated to prevent him from using the Small Science.

David awkwardly waved at the mention of his name, his eyes perking up slightly after seeing Alina.

“Oh, so you do know him,” Nikolai groaned, walking forward to stand next to Alina, which only angered Mal more. “He claims to have escaped from a very alive General Kirigan.”

If the situation wasn’t dire enough, Irina would have laughed. David was tall, yet Tolya, taller and bigger, seemed to loom over him completely. The princess was aware of the many separations the Grisha bore back at the Little Palace, yet she couldn’t understand how the Fabrikator before her could hold such power to attract the Darkling. Yet, she was one to talk. She had practically hidden herself away since she was born only to not give away her own strength. After Alina, the Stag, and the Sea Whip, Irina Lantsov was starting to believe anything could be possible.

“He gave himself up without a struggle. We found this on him,” Nikolai gave the crumpled diary to Alina. “He says it’s one of Morozova’s journals.” He turned back to David, speaking in a louder, boastful voice. “I, for one, am dying to know more, but he insisted he speak with you.”

“Alina,” David tried, yet Tolya’s firm hand on his chest prevented David from walking any further. The Heartrender didn’t even look at him, yet David recoiled, defeated, ready to fight his case.

Irina felt almost ashamed at how Tolya’s action had her warm up. He sat casually on the railing, almost bored, knowing he could take down the Fabrikator before the slimmer man even thought about it, should it be necessary. Irina was having a really hard time not to smile. She knew the Heartrender could be deadly, yet he barely chose violence if he could help it. But his appearance told otherwise, and that was enough for any enemy to think twice before attacking the half-Shu.

“I know I wronged you,” David began. “Please believe I regret my role in that deeply. I know you have reason to distrust me, but I have no loyalty to General Kirigan.”

“He survived the Volcra?” Alina asked.

“I’m afraid so. He also knows that you survived and that you’re in East Ravka.”

Mal intervened. “Tell us where he is.”

“No, no, no,” David shook his head. “Mm-mm, that would be a very bad idea–”

“You can’t expect us to trust you unless you’re willing to share information,” Alina pressed on.

Tolya readjusted on his seat, noticing the tension rise in the room. He discreetly looked at his sister, standing a little too close to Nadia. He saw Nikolai, standing in between Alina and Mal. And he stared at Irina, standing by herself, with squinted eyes and trembling hands.

“Confronting him would be suicide.” David sighed again, looking at every single person before finally giving in. “Kirigan used merzost to create something in the Fold. Creatures that do his bidding, the size of two men.” It was comical the way David moved his hands, trying to get his point across. “Formed of pure shadow. They have no breath to take, no heart to stop, no blood to drain. Yet they live.”

Irina felt her own heartbeat pick up at the thought of such monsters. She had only very recently come to terms with the fact that a living Saint was standing and breathing next to her, and now these creatures were freely roaming her homeland. That was a lot for the young princess to take.

“They live and they kill. They are nichevo’ya. Nothing. Bullets, blades, fire, all simply pass through. And they walk freely in sunlight.”

Everybody looked at David in silence, wrapping their heads around his words. Irina tried to share a look with her brother, as they usually did in every meeting back at the Volkvolny, but the blond prince was looking at Alina. The sudden lack of fraternal comfort only came with another wave of nervousness. The room suddenly seemed darker, colder, and heavier, and the many candles that surrounded the group weren’t enough for Irina’s mind. Despite the light that came from the skylight at the dome of the chapel, darkness seemed to creep around them at its mere mention.

David finished his deadly blow. “I fear that merzost may be the only way to kill them.”

“So how did you manage to get away?” Mal fired the question everybody was dying to know.

David’s face paled even more, looking Alina straight in the eye. “Genya.”

Even Nikolai and Irina perked up at the mention of their mother’s Tailor. Although Irina hadn’t seen much of her, due to their mother keeping her hidden away for her personal use, she could imagine the hatred she had harbored for her family for years. It made sense that she had worked alongside the Darkling to bring the Royal Family down, and even though Irina wasn’t a fan of them either, save for her older brother, she couldn’t help but feel the twinge of betrayal in her chest.

This time, Nikolai looked at his sister, yet Irina had her gaze lost somewhere in the darkness in front of her, already spiraling into a thousand different thoughts. It didn’t take a genius to recognize the pure terror on the princess’ face.

“We tried to escape together, but… the nichevo’ya. She sacrificed herself to get me out. I don’t know if she survived.”

Tolya then spoke, with one hand discreetly placed before him. “A smart spy will always play the victim.”

Irina didn’t have time to wonder what her friend was doing, for she immediately felt her heart slow. She looked down, unconsciously allowing the contactless source to apply pressure on her chest, effectively breaking her pattern of thoughts as the blood in her system flowed slow and steady, instead of the erratic speed it had just previously harbored.

Breathe. She felt his words inside her skull, almost enough to lull her to sleep. Her eyes unfocused for a second before the girl turned her attention back to the Fabrikator, still feeling the pressure in her chest, only the anxiety had seemed to evaporate with one last breath. Although she hated it when either of the twins used their power on her like that, unprompted and abruptly, she was now grateful that Tolya had seen her despair before it could get worse.

“No, no,” David shook his head.

“You make a valid point, Tolya,” Nikolai picked Tolya up. “As leader of the Second Army, this is your call,” he looked at Alina, who looked back at Nadia.

“You’ve known David the longest. What do you think?”

The Squaller had not stopped looking at David, but she still responded in a whisper. “Kirigan always kept him very close.”

“Take him to a holding cell,” Alina declared, looking at Tolya, whose hand was still aimed at his princess.

The giant nodded, slowly breaking the connection with Irina with a small nod in her direction, and quickly walked away with David, taking all of the tension with them.

–·–

Irina found Tolya a while later right by the small fountain inside the chapel. The dome stood directly above him, showering the room in light, which the Heartrender used to read his poetry. Some of the Grisha around him eyed him warily, almost afraid, and once again, Irina had to laugh. He wasn’t the deadliest person in the room.

She smirked, seeing as he hadn’t heard her coming yet. She tried blending in with the background as much as she could, sneaking up behind him and scaring him as she forcefully gripped his arms. The girl laughed at the little jump the giant did, congratulating herself on scaring the scariest man in the room. Good-natured Tolya didn’t have the heart to tell Irina that he could recognize her presence anywhere, even before she came into the opening.

“Thank you for earlier,” Irina said as she sat down next to him, fixing her attire after taking a big gulp of air to calm down.

Tolya smiled at her. “Anytime. I thought you were going to faint any minute.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

Irina thought about it for a second but decided against it. “I’d much rather forget all about it for now. What are you reading?” Although she knew Tolya would eventually ask again, she sighed in relief when she saw him pick his book up again, and open it up.

“Selected poems from Negu Kir-Tizur,” he leaned on the fountain, lowering his arms so Irina could see the poems better.

She frowned. “They’re in Shu.”

“You forget I am half-Shu,” he softly hit her with the book in her head, earning another giggle from her.

“I can’t read Shu, you dumbass” she laughed.

“Oh, I’m sorry, moi tsarevicha, I forgot to speak the language of the Saints,” he mocked her, feeling desperate all of a sudden to hear her laugh once again.

That’s exactly what he got. “Hey, that’s not fair!” she giggled again. “You know I always ask you to teach me and then you never do!”

“It’d take years! I don’t think you’d ever understand the complicated themes of the Shu verse,” he continued his teasing, which Irina adored.

“And why is that?” she crossed her arms, trying not to smile.

“You don’t have the patience for that.”

Irina was about to fight him, but she knew he was right. “Well.”

It was Tolya’s turn to laugh. The melodic sound was carried through the dome with its marble columns, and for a second, Irina thought about how that memory would always haunt her in her mind. How, for a few moments, she wasn’t the princess of a dying nation, but a normal girl, talking to the boy she was desperately trying not to like.

“But… I can translate it for you?” Tolya offered, his fingers skimming through the paper, looking for the one poem he knew his companion would like.

“Please,” Irina smiled innocently, using the book as an excuse to not stare into his eyes.

But their moment didn’t last long, because Malyen Oretsev always seemed to have the most perfect importunate timing.

“I was skimming this again for leads on the Firebird, then I remembered a legend about a sword from Shu Han.” Mal had taken it upon himself to read over and over the Istorii Sankt’ya. He claimed it was only to find another way to help Alina, but Irina knew Mal was looking for a way out in it.

Tolya resumed on turning pages of his poetry book, not yet ready to burst the little bubble Irina and he had accidentally summoned for themselves.

“Neshyenyer. The Relentless Blade.”

“You know of it?”

He shrugged. “Of course I do. It’s a folktale. The Fabrikator Kho created an unkillable army made of cogs and bone–”

“Until the Fabrikator Neyar forged Neshyenyer,” Mal finished for him. He showed Tolya and Irina the paintings in the book, reading the words. “‘When Neyar fought, her blade flashed so brightly that people watching swore she had lightning in her hands.’ A blade so sharp it could cut shadow.”

Tolya chuckled. “It’s a bedtime story. My culture has the best myths.”

Irina slapped him across the head, much in the same way he had done earlier with her, only harder. He could take it.

“Ouch.”

“The Sea Whip was a myth,” said Mal with a smirk at their interaction. “So was the Stag. And they were real. She killed an unkillable army. This could be the weapon we need against Kirigan’s monsters. And this book… says it’s in a temple in Ahmrat Jen.”

“No, I doubt that. The one on display is widely rumored to be fake.”

But that didn’t let Mal down. “Okay, how do we find the real one?”

“Who has the money and means to acquire valuable weapons?”

Mal looked at Irina, but she quickly raised her hands in innocence.

“Wrong sibling.”

–·–

“The blade in Ahmrat Jen is indeed a replica,” Nikolai sighed. He hadn’t left the improvised war room at all, and the exhaustion was evident in his voice. “And the original was stolen long ago. I suspect it’s never left Shu Han. If it turned up in the wider black market, Sturmhond would’ve heard about it.”

“This could be the only weapon able to kill Kirigan’s shadow creatures. We need to find it.”

“It’s a valuable old sword, sure. That doesn’t mean the story behind it is true.”

“Any chance is better than no chance,” Mal argued.

Nikolai grinned. “That’s a very Sturmhond thing to say. Were he here, he would surely commend you.”

“It’s a little bit unsettling how you talk about him like he’s someone else.”

“Get used to it,” Irina commented.

“And he would suggest that our mutual friends in Ketterdam might be the perfect crew for the job.”

“You’re really gonna trust the Crows with this?”

Irina trailed after him, right after they finished their meeting with Tolya and Mal. The giant had volunteered to find it, and rapidly Nikolai had issued a request for a Squaller to join him.

“Not just the Crows. I trust Tolya,” he said as he stepped into his room, turning around to face his sister as she closed the door behind her. “And I trust you.”

Irina froze. “Me?”

“You.”

“You’re sending me away for this?”

Nikolai could argue all he wanted about how he just wanted his best people to get the sword, but Irina knew better.

“Yeah. If anything the Durast said is true, I don’t want you anywhere near Ravka while the Darkling is still alive.”

“That’s not fair. You need every loyal person right here.”

“Irina.”

“Nikolai.”

“I do trust you and Tolya to get the sword. He’ll need an Inferni to cross the Fold, that’s where you come in. And even if this little mission didn’t succeed, I’d still feel better knowing you’re not within the Darkling’s range.”

She shook her head. “Do you think I feel any better knowing I’m leaving you here alone?”

“I’m not alone! I have the Sun Summoner!” He walked to his closet, pulled an army pack from it, and handed it to his sister. “Everything you need is already here. Including your coat.”

She stared at her brother for a few seconds before taking the bag from his hand. “You’re awfully prepared.”

“I always am.”

“Was this your plan since the beginning?”

He shrugged. “I have my own bag, too.”

She shook her head. “And what do I do? Am I supposed to be Irina or Ainthe?”

“Whatever feels right to you.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“You’ll know when the moment comes.”

“Nikolai.”

“Irina, do whatever you want. I’m not letting you live in my shadow forever. This is your time to make your own decisions.”

“I want to stay.”

“Except that one,” he tried to smile but failed. He stood before his sister, staring at her as if trying to remember the sight of her. “Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen here, but it doesn’t look good. Should anything happen to me or Vasily, you’ll know what to do. But please, just do me this one favor and step away, at least until we can defeat those shadow creatures. Please.”

It wasn’t like Nikolai Lantsov to beg. Irina knew right then just how much she meant to her brother. He was willing to send her away on a permanent vacation just so she wouldn’t have to face the horrors that roamed freely in Ravka.

You do what you have to do to protect the people you love. But how do I protect you?

But before Irina could ask, Nikolai was already shoving her out of his room.

“Get ready, you leave at three bells.”

The door was closed after her, leaving a confused and quite afraid young girl in an empty hall of the Spinning Wheel.

Almost automatically, Irina simply followed his instructions, changing into her old pirate’s clothes and keeping her mind as empty as possible. She didn’t have time to cry. It wasn’t the first time the girl left on a mission for a few days without her brother, but for some reason, she knew things would be much different once she came back.

Her red coat felt like a second skin on her, and for a split second, she grinned. The blood in her veins and the coat in her arms would always be something she shared with Nikolai.

It didn’t take her long to walk back onto the main entrance, where her small party was waiting, together with Mal and Tamar..

“If anyone can find Neshyenyer, I suspect it’s them,” Mal agreed. “Thick as thieves, those Crows. Clever too. Managed to cross the Fold on some sort of fortified train.”

“Last time I was in Ketterdam, I didn’t get to stop at the Kooperom for an omelet,” Tolya commented out loud.

Tamar groaned. “Oh, so that’s why you volunteered. Without me, who’ll stop you from following your stomach off the edge of a cliff?”

“That’d be me.” Irina stepped into the light, joining their conversation.

Tolya almost broke his neck at the sound of her voice, smiling a wide grin as he got his pistol ready. Tamar’s eyes twinkled at the prospect of her best friend and her brother on a mission together, and she would’ve made another smart remark at that had Zoya Nazyalensky not interrupted them.

“I thought we were leaving at three bells?”

Irina had yet to share a word with the Squaller, but her stiff posture and annoyed voice almost made her roll her eyes. She did recoil at the sight of the princess, but she still looked at Tolya with a questioning glance.

“Tolya’s trying to cram his entire poetry library into his pack,” Tamar smiled at his brother as he gave him his last book, which didn’t fit.

Zoya frowned, disgusted. “Poetry?”

Tolya began. “Long may the night whose dark–”

“No,” Zoya cut him off, making Tamar giggle and Tolya frown. “There’ll be none of that.”

Mal patted him on the back and whispered to the remaining party. “Bring back Neshyenyer for Alina, alright?”

“We will, don’t worry,” Irina said, taking the book from Tolya’s hand and shoving it into her backpack, not missing the appreciative grin the giant sent her way.

The three of them followed Zoya, who had already opened the door to the outside and was walking down the stairs.

“That was from Rabinov’s Cantos. A definitive work.”

Tamar trailed after them. “Yeah, now let’s go over the snacks you’ll bring back from Shu Han…”

“Guys? A word?” Nikolai suddenly called as they were about to exit.

The four of them stood at the entrance, looking at each other with fondness in their hearts.

“Take care of each other. I know I don’t have to worry about you two out there together, but be careful.”

Tolya nodded, with a solemn expression. “I’ll protect her with my life.”

Irina scoffed. “Don’t be dramatic.”

“Good.” Nikolai shook Tolya’s hand decisively, before bringing him closer for a quick hug.

“Your brother’s an idiot.” Irina looked at Tamar, who had watched the interaction with a smirk.

“I know.” She smiled. “Be careful, okay?” Tamar tightly hugged her friend, rubbing her back. “And don’t let Tolya eat all of Shu-Han’s sweets. He’s got to bring some back for me.”

Once they parted, Irina looked again at Nikolai. Whatever emotion wanted to escape through her eyes was quickly repressed, if only for a few seconds until her brother couldn’t see her anymore.

“Say goodbye to Madraya for me?” she offered a weak smile.

Nikolai nodded. “Try not to set anything on fire,” he joked, before crashing into her body and embracing his little sister tightly. “Stay safe.”

“You too,” she whispered as she closed her eyes, her heart cracking slightly at the finality of their words.

“Alright, c’mon, group hug,” Nikolai joked again, and Irina laughed loudly when she felt two pairs of arms embracing them, basking in their warmth for a few seconds before they parted once again. “Come back to us.”

“We will.”

Next chapter

#shadow and bone #tolya yul bataar #tolya yul bataar x reader #tamar kir bataar #nikolai lantsov #alina starkov #mal oretsev #the darkling #six of crows #kaz brekker #inej ghafa #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #nina zenik #matthias helvar #alexander morozova #general kirigan #siege and storm #shadow and bone season 2

23 notes · View notes

stromuprisahat · 1 year

Quote

Through her panting breaths, she prayed to Sankta Alina, a defiant girl, an orphan herself, who had driven back the darkness of the Fold and united Ravka. “Alina the Bright,” she whispered, “daughter of Keramzin, slayer of monsters, save us.”

The Lives of Saints (Leigh Bardugo)

I know it’s supposed to be a legend, but this is hysterical, read by a person, who spent three books in “Sankta” Alina’s head... By someone, who knows she didn’t do any of this AND doomed more people than she ever “helped”... Plus, ironically, even those might’ve been better off helped by others.

#Grishaverse #grishanalyticritical #The Lives of Saints #ch: Sankta Alina of the Fold #Alina Starkov #self centred and paranoid #anti Alina Starkov #V #books #quotes #Leigh Bardugo #Defiant? Perhaps but not in the good way.#Orphan? That's her only 'positive' quality.#Driven back the Fold? No she didn't.#United Ravka? By leaving as soon as she could?#I'm pretty sure most of that was needed to be done in political economical and cultural sense...#Slayer of monsters? Do you mean the Darkling #because most of the killing she did was innocent people who tried to survive #but dared to stand in her way to her meadow and Crown funded fancy manor.

53 notes · View notes

naushtheaspiringauthor · 4 months

Text

~Child Of The Storm~

Nikolai Lantsov x OC

Image by - @brokendreamtale2

Warnings- use of a few offensive words

A/N- I love how they're finally getting along😽 Let me know if you'd like to be added or removed from the taglist!

Taglist- @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @sirisuorionblack @nadeleine123n @marauders-wife

Ch-36 ~Old rivalry, new friendship~

Anaya quickly recognized the familiar voice. Zoya Nazyalensky swept through the crowd, her black hair shining in the sunlight and her deep blue eyes fierce as always.

“I speak for the Etherealki,” she spoke. “And we will follow the Sun Summoner.”

Anaya was surprised to hear her words

“Not all of us,” Marie piped up weakly.

Zoya gave a disdainful laugh. “Yes, we know you support Sergei in all his endeavours, Marie. But this isn’t a late-night tryst by the banya. We’re talking about the future of the Grisha and all of Ravka.”

Snickers greeted Zoya’s pronouncement, and Marie turned bright red.

“That’s enough, Zoya,” snapped Sergei.

An inferni stepped forward. “Marie is right,” he spoke. “You don’t speak for all of us, Zoya. I’d prefer to see an Etherealnik at the head of the Second Army, but it shouldn’t be her.” He pointed a finger at Alina. “She wasn’t even raised here.”

“That’s right!” called out a Corporalnik. “She’s been a Grisha less than a year!”

“Grisha are born, not made,” growled Tolya, finally coming out of his shell

“And who are you?” asked Sergei, his natural arrogance showing through.

Tolya’s hand went to his curved sword. “I am Tolya Yul- Baatar. I was raised far from this corpse of a palace, and I’d be happy to prove that I can stop your heart.”

“You’re Grisha?” Sergei asked incredulously.

“As much as you are,” replied Tamar, her gold eyes flashing.

“And what about you?” Sergei asked Mal.

“I’m just a soldier,” Mal replied, moving to stand beside Alina. “Her soldier.”

“As are we all,” added Fedyor. “We returned to Os Alta to serve the Sun Summoner, not some posturing boy.”

Another Corporalnik got to his feet. “You’re just one more coward who fled when the Darkling fell. You have no right to come here and insult us.”

“And what about her?” cried another Squaller. “How do we know she isn’t working with the Darkling? She helped him destroy Novokribirsk.”

“And she shared his bed!” shouted another.

“Just what is your relationship with Nikolai Lantsov?” demanded a Fabrikator.

“What was your relationship with the Darkling?” came a shrill voice.

“Does it matter?” Alina asked coolly, the growing tension in her demeanour was clearly visible

“Of course it does,” said Sergei. “How can we be sure of your loyalty?”

“You have no right to question her!” shouted one of the Summoners.

“Why?” retorted a Healer. “Because she’s a living Saint?”

“Put her in a chapel where she belongs!” someone yelled.

“Get her and her rabble out of the Little Palace.”

Tolya reached for his sword. Tamar and Sergei both raised their hands. Marie drew her flint and several squaller winds could be felt all around. Anger crept up Anaya until she could no longer contain it

"Enough of this!" her sudden voice echoed throughout the hall, making everyone go silent. "She might be inexperienced and she has only been a Grisha for less than a year but she has been the only one with enough courage to face the Darkling. She did what none of us could, she tried to stand for what was right. I saw it!" She continued. "She attempted to help me escape even though I was nothing more than another Grisha who stood by when that man massacred an entire town. And yes, she might not be the best choice, but she's our only proper choice" her voice boomed through the hall.

Everyone looked at her in awe, surprised by what she'd said. It was the first she'd spoken with such intensity and the first time she'd spoken in this argument at all.

"How do you even know she's truly doing it out of the kindness of her heart? What if she's planning an insurgence with the Darkling and will be sure to feed him our plans?" a Corporalnik beamed with contempt

Anaya narrowed her eyebrows, her eyes brimming with rage. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could say anything a resounding crack shook the room. She looked at the ceiling above her with utter shock. The Grisha screamed and backed away, crowding against the walls. Daylight poured in through a jagged fissure above them. Alina had split the golden dome open like a giant egg.

A deep silence followed as every Grisha turned to Alina in terrified disbelief.

“You think the Darkling is powerful?” she asked with an icy clarity in her voice. “You have no idea what he is capable of. Only I have seen what he can do. Only I have faced him and lived to tell about it. I don’t care if you think I’m a Saint or a fool or the Darkling’s whore. If you want to remain at the Little Palace, you will follow me. And if you don’t like it, you will be gone by tonight, or I will have you in chains. I am a soldier. I am the Sun Summoner. And I’m the only chance you have.”

She strode across the room and threw open the doors to the Darkling’s chambers.

Anaya still had a stunned look plastered over her face. She knew that the girl wasn't foolish but she'd never anticipated her to do something like that. She then noticed Zoya hurrying out of the hall, and followed her without giving it a second thought.

..................................................................................................

Anaya noticed Zoya sitting by herself near the banya. She took a deep breath and went nearer with steady steps.

"May I join?" Anaya asked in a soft voice

Zoya turned to look at her, "Sure" she responded, her voice unusually calm

Anaya sat on the wooden bench near her. Silence stirred in the environment until Anaya spoke, "I couldn't believe you stood with Alina" she said

"I could say the same for you" she responded

"Well, back on the fold, I saw what she truly wanted. She even attempted to stop him"

"I knew the girl was capable of more, but I did not anticipate that" a hint of surprise was reflected in Zoya's words

"Yeah, me neither. You should've seen Sergei's face, he appeared as if his eyeballs were going to fall to the ground" Anaya gave a slight grin

"I did, he looked like he was going to bury himself in the ground"

A short moment of silence followed. "I saw it, her name" Anaya spoke in voice no more than a soft whisper

Zoya turned her head to meet her gaze, "I know, I went there, to Novokribirsk" she spoke, her voice growing somber. "She saved a boy's life, but couldn't do the same for her own" she looked down at her shoes

Anaya let out a small sigh, "It's maddening how people once standing by your side, can turn against you in such a haste"

"Do you really believe we can defeat him?" Zoya spoke after a shot pause

"I don't know, but I like the idea of trying, better than sitting idle and waiting for our demise. Besides, he has done too much to be forgiven anymore" she closed her eyes, remembering all that man had taken from her

"What did he do to you?"

"Doesn't matter. What matters is how we're going to pay him back"

"Yeah"

Both of them sat in silence until Anaya broke it, "Anyways, do you know how I basically split the true sea in half and saved everyone?" she spoke with great enthusiasm

"Really? I don't believe that" Zoya raised an eyebrow

"It's true! You can ask Rabeah or Alina or whoever. I was drowning and then suddenly I swas floating upwards and I raised the waters and the sea split in half and I froze the water beneath my feet and I was literally standing on the centre" she continued, wavering her arms

"Really? that's unbelieve Nasarzareen"

"Nasrazeen!" Anaya responded with exasperation

#grishaverse #shadow and bone #nikolai lantsov x reader #nikolai lantsov #nikolai lantsov fanfiction #nikolai lanstov #nikolai lanstov x reader #nikolai lantsov x oc

14 notes · View notes

dancingships · 1 year

Text

Mal hated Aline’s Powers. DEBUNKED.

Malyen Oretsev may have voiced his concern or fear during hard times but those moments pale in comparison to everything he sacrificed. If he hated Alina’s powers, or her duty to Ravka, he’d have left. He wouldn’t have branded himself Alina’s soldier then sacrificed his life so that she could defeat her enemy. In reality, he was the only one to love Alina for Alina and not for what she could do for them.

Mal awed by Alina’s Powers

He frowned but then he reached out, letting his fingers play in the light, and said, “That’s really something.”

-Shadow & Bone, Ch 18

He shut his eyes and turned his face toward the sunlight that radiated from my hand. Then he tilted his head, resting his cheek against my palm. The light glowed warm against his skin. We stood that way, in silence, until the watch bell rang.

-Siege & Storm, Ch 6

“I didn’t hear anyone laughing,” Mal said. “For someone who has no idea what she’s doing, I’d say you’re managing pretty well.”

-Siege & Storm, Ch 13

“Can you do more with it?” he asked. “No. Just …remnant of what I did in the chapel.” “You mean saving all our lives?” “…It’s just a carnival trick.” “It’s something you took from him,” he said. I didn’t think I imagined the satisfaction in his voice.

-Ruin & Rising Ch 3

“You’re glowing.” He ran a finger down my forearm where the sleeve had ridden up, watching the play of light over my skin, a smile curling his lips.

-Ruin & Rising, Ch5

Mal not being afraid of Alina

While everyone else is afraid to approach her, he steps right up. The first time she was losing control. The second time they didn't know what was happening but the building was shaking. Act now, asks questions later.

The same thing happens in the books too. Mal prevents her from destroying the entire ship after getting the Sea Whip. Then when Alina defeats the Darkling in the chapel and it's crashing down he runs back in to pull her out. And there's a moment in the underground temple where Alina thinks Mal is afraid of her powers but he was more afraid of losing her and didn't want her to have to make a kill. He knows killing another person isn't easy. But he says later he had faith in her.

Mal supporting Alina becoming Queen

“I came here for you. You’re my flag. You’re my nation.”

-Siege and Storm, Ch 18

“I wasn’t afraid of you, Alina. I was afraid of losing you. The girl you were becoming didn’t need me anymore but she is who you were always meant to be. Strong." He looked away. "Luminous. And maybe a little ruthless too… Ravka is broken, Alina…The girl I saw in the chapel could change that."

"Nikolai's a born leader. He knows how to fight. Knows how to politic. But he doesn't know what it is to live without hope. He's never been nothing. Not like you or Genya. Not like me." "He's a good man," I protested. "And he'll be a good king. But he needs you to be a great one."

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 7

“I don’t need any of that. Just…” He dropped Nikolai’s hand and looked away. “Deserve her.”

-Ruin & Rising, Ch11 & Season 2

“And where will you go?” “I’ll stay by your side as long as you let me.” His jaw set. “I’ll do what I have to do to keep you safe.”

“And I’ll keep marching because the firebird is all I can give you.”

-Ruin and Rising, Ch 13

"Because you were meant for more. I'll get you the firebird. That's all I have to offer / We've known for a while now that you were meant for more."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

These last two are so important because it shows that Mal knows they have no future together. Alina needs to become queen and she can't do that if she's with him. A lesser man would just walk away since they won't be getting anything in return. But Mal doesn't. He stays to get her what she needs, the only thing he can give her, before they part ways for good.

Mal believing in Alina

"You will destroy the fold. Just not today."

- Shadow & Bone, S1 Ep 8

"I wanted to make you human,” he said. “All they see when they look at you is the Sun Summoner. They see a threat, another powerful Grisha like the Darkling. I want them to see a daughter or a sister or a friend. I want them to see Alina.”

-Siege & Storm, Ch 16

“How did you know I’d be able to summon?” I asked under my breath. He glanced at me, and a faint grin touched his lips. “Faith.”

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 2

"You could have struck down the Apparat and all his Priestguards, but you didn't." "I wanted to." "But you didn't. You've had plenty of opportunities to be brutal, to be cruel. You've never taken them." "Not yet. The firebird-" He shook his head. "The firebird won't change who you are. You'll still be the girl who took a beating for me when I was the one who broke Ana Kuya's ormolu clock." I groaned, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "And you let me." He laughed. "Of course I did. That woman is terrifying." Then his expression sobered. "You'll still be the girl who was willing to sacrifice her life to save us at the Little Palace, the same girl I just saw back a servant over a king."

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 7

"I know, I know. I don't get it. I just know there's no way to live without pain-no matter how long or short your life is. People let you down. You get hurt and do damage in return. But what the Darkling did to Genya? To Baghra? What he tried to do to you with that collar? That's weakness. That's a man afraid." He peered out at the valley. "I may never be able to understand what it is to live with your power, but I know you're better than that. And they all know it too," he said with a nod back to where the others had gone to make camp. "That's why we're here, fighting beside you. That's why Zoya and Harshaw will whine all night, but tomorrow they'll stay."

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 14

"I know you can do it someday. You'll get there. I just don't want to see it kill you in the process."

-Shadow & Bone, S2 episode 1

"She's worth it, Sir"

-Shadow & Bone, S1 (talking to his captain about going after Alina)

Mal sacrificing for Alina

“The Darkling wants that stag. He wants it for you, so I'll find it. It's the only thing I can still give you. The only thing.”

-Shadow & Bone, S1

For the first time, I realized that Mal had no idea why I’d fled the Little Palace, why the Darkling was searching for me. The last time I’d seen him, I’d essentially ordered him out of my sight, but still he’d left everything behind and come for me.

Shadow & Bone, Ch 16

This time he didn’t blush or turn away. “It’s a promise to be better than I was,” he said. “It’s a vow that if I can’t be anything else to you, at least I can be a weapon in your hand.” He shrugged. “And I guess it’s a reminder that wanting and deserving aren’t the same thing.”

Ruin and Rising, Ch7

“I came here for you. You’re my flag. You’re my nation.”

-Siege and Storm, Ch 18

“Save them. This once, let me carry you.” His gaze locked on mine. “End this,” he said.

-Ruin & Rising, Ch 17

"I'm not afraid. Because I get to save you. And you get to save Ravka."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

"You know I'd lay down my life for you. Alina, you're a living Saint. I might not be enough. You need all the help that Nikolai can offer you."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

Mal Loving Alina

-Siege & Storm, Ch 16

He would kiss her neck and whisper new names in her ear: beauty, beloved, cherished, my heart.

-Ruin & Rising, last page

"You are all I ever wanted. You're the whole of my heart."

-Shadow & Bone, S2

Maybe that's why I wrote this letter, Alina. Maybe it's a promise—that I'll survive tomorrow and the day after that, and somehow, no matter what it takes, I'll see you safe again.

What is she? She's everything, you dumb son of a bitch.

Mal’s letters - actually just his entire letter. It really puts into perspective his state of mind when he finds her at the Little Palace.

“Maybe that brought us together, but it didn’t make us who we are. It didn’t make you the girl who could get me to laugh when I had nothing. It sure as hell didn’t make me the idiot who took that for granted. Whatever there is between us, we forged it. It belongs to us.”

-Ruin & Rising

There was something fierce and almost desperate in the way he held me, as if he could not have me close enough.

That time he got himself purposefully sent to jail just to be with her

-Shadow and Bone S2

Because I would always be the first person he turned to when he saw something lovely, and I would do the same. Whether I was a Saint or a queen or the most powerful Grisha who ever lived, I would always turn to him.

-Ruin & Rising

#malina #shadow and bone #ruin and rising #seige and storm #shadow and bone quotes #malyen oretsev #alina starkov

68 notes · View notes