Chapter One: Masquerade

A/N: I just wanted to make something abundantly clear. This story is not a "romance" between the Darkling and Irina. Their connection is complex but it is not love and I am not romanticising toxic relationships.

That being said, this is the first time in my 13 years on FFN that I've actually had to delete anonymous reviews, because the way some of you are behaving is absolutely appalling. If you don't like a fic, don't read it. I will not be bullied into silence or intimidated into not writing a fic simply because you, for some bizarre reason, want to send everyone who writes in this fandom hate.

To my darling readers and reviewers who have been kind, I appreciate you a lot!

When one disappears from their home country for a year, they expect that their return will create quite a stir. Or, at least, Irina did.

She swept into the Grand Palace an hour after sundown, tracking mud and with dirt clinging to the hem of her fine silver dress. The guards gaped, though she couldn't blame them. She'd been gone from Ravka without so much as a word of her whereabouts, and now she'd come striding back in as though she'd simply been for a ride. She smirked at the shouts of 'get the King!'.

"I'll be in my room if my family wishes to see me." Irina swept her blonde hair over her shoulder with a sweet smile. She stripped off her cloak and tucked it under her arm, mildly amused by the stares and whispers of all who saw her. A year after she'd disappeared, Ravka's princess had come home.

"Where in the name of the saints have you been?" The enraged bellow pursued Irina down the corridor before she'd even stepped into her room. Irina tilted her head back and sighed deeply as Vasily stormed toward her, hands balled into fists. She had to admit she had not been anticipating a warm welcome, but she had hoped to indulge in a scented bubble bath before facing the wrath of her family.

"What a fond greeting from my dearest older brother."

Vasily sneered. At twenty-three years old, he remained unmarried, which didn't entirely surprise Irina considering...well, his personality. She supposed she did owe her family an explanation, since they probably thought she'd been abducted or killed. That would come in time, and Irina would make no apologies for her flight. It had been necessary.

"Mother and Father have been worried sick. They didn't know what had happened to you, none of us."

Irina arched an eyebrow. "None of us really know what Nikolai is up to, and yet you don't see them fretting over him."

"You know full well that Nikolai has gone to embark on his studies."

No, he hasn't. That was between Nikolai and Irina though. She hadn't spilled her twin's secrets, and he hadn't spilled hers.

"We got word months ago that you were in a small town near the Fjerdan border, but none of us had any idea what you were doing there."

"I left because I had to." Irina folded her arms over her chest. Her blonde hair was windswept and she stank of sweat and dirt. She hadn't wanted this confrontation now, but when had that ever stopped Vasily?

"Never mind, we have other concerns." Vasily waved a dismissive hand, as though his previous rant about her disappearance was to be forgotten. She stayed silent and waited for him to elaborate, and true to form, Vasily couldn't help but gloat. "You trying to make yourself the centre of attention once again is irrelevant. We have the Sun Summoner."

What? Irina had to give it to him, that one really did cause her to lapse into stunned silence. The Sun Summoner had only ever been a myth, a story she'd been told about during her childhood. The Sun Summoner would save them all by destroying the Shadow Fold. That was all it was, a legend. Now, her brother was telling her that story had become reality, and Irina was expected to believe him.

"Excuse me?"

"Her name is Alina Starkov, she was presented to us earlier today." Vasily's expression was smug. "It's true. Her powers are very much real. She's going to save us all."

"That's all very well, Vasily." Irina pinched the bridge of her nose pointedly to indicate her exhaustion, though her curiosity was piqued. "But I really need a bath and then a long sleep. I'm sure you can brag about the Sun Summoner some more tomorrow."

Vasily's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't have come back, Irina."

"Oh?" She planted a hand on her hip, anger flaring. "Why is that?"

"I think we all know why you left."

"Really?" Irina tilted her head to the side. There was no way that Vasily knew the truth, but she supposed rumours must have circulated in her absence, especially when she'd been seen in a town near the border and still not come home. There would be time for explanations, but right now, Irina was willing to let Vasily stew in whatever gossip from around the palace he must have absorbed.

"Good night, Irina." It was a tone she despised, the smarmy little lilt that told Irina he thought he had her all figured out. Vasily didn't even know the half of it. Like everyone else, Vasily only knew what Irina wanted him to.

Irina had the servants run her a bath, shedding her clothes and slipping into the silky warm water. It was like a soothing balm against her skin. Though her year away hadn't been entirely unpleasant, it had meant going without many of the luxuries she'd been used to in the palace. However, much like Nikolai, Irina wasn't afraid of a bit of hard work.

Reclining amidst the scent of lavender and rose, Irina tilted her head back and smiled. Sun Summoner upstaging her or not, she was back in the Grand Palace. Once Vasily and the others learned why she had left...well, he really would wish she hadn't come back.

Irina received a summons to breakfast just after dawn the following morning. She knew it was not a request. Today's mask was a simple one: that of the fresh-faced, demure daughter who felt she had overstepped by not informing her parents of where she had gone. A carefully crafted mask. A lie.

Donning the sky-blue dress that had always been a favourite of her mother's, Irina stepped into the hall and was presently surprised by who was accompanying her. Her lips tweaked upwards into a pleasant smile.

"Fedyor."
"You have caused quite the stir, your Highness." The handsome Heartrender offered his arm, and Irina took it gladly. A few years older than Vasily, Fedyor was one of Irina's favourite Grisha, to the point where there had been some whispers circulating about the nature of their relationship. As with any rumours, Irina took them in her stride.

"Not so much of a stir as the Sun Summoner, I'm told."

"Ah, yes." Fedyor chuckled. "Miss Starkov."

"What is she like?" Irina asked, tilting her head to the side, hazel eyes widening in innocent curiosity. Fedyor had always had a soft spot for her, so if anyone was likely to disclose details about the mysterious Sun Summoner, it was him.

"She is headstrong, to say the least."

"Did you miss me, Fedyor?" Irina's tone became teasing as she sidled closer to him. He had always been one of her favourites to flirt with, considering the soft blush in his cheeks, his mischievous smile and the way he warmed to her.

"Everyone missed you, Irina."

"I'm not asking about everyone." Irina stared up at him through long lashes, enjoying the way he dithered.

"For the love of the saints, Irina, stop that." Vasily, again, sticking his nose into matters that were none of his concern. Irina rolled her eyes and released Fedyor's arm, and the Heartrender dipped his head in acknowledgement of the crown prince. Vasily strode over and caught Irina's wrist, tugging her away from Fedyor and toward the dining hall.

"Are you quite done being an irritating prick?" Irina demanded.

Vasily's eyes flashed, and he whirled to face her, grabbing her by the shoulders. Her older brother had always been an ass, but he had rarely manhandled her in the past. It suddenly dawned on Irina just how angry Vasily was with her.

"You might think you can stride in here and flash a pretty smile and everything will be as it was, but I don't forgive you, Irina."

She pushed him away. "I don't want or need your forgiveness."

Vasily barked out a laugh. "You might reconsider that when we have your bastard brought to court."

"What?" The breath left Irina's lungs, her eyes searching Vasily's smug face for answers. A tightness coiled in the pit of her stomach. "What?"

"Did you think it was some kind of secret?" Contempt dripped from Vasily's every word. "You might not care whose bed you throw yourself into, but these sort of things get noticed. Was it Fedyor's? He always was your favourite."

Irina was rendered speechless. It was true that she and Fedyor had slept together on a handful of—alright, no, a lot of occasions. Vasily's venomous accusations had knocked the wind out of her, leaving her startled and unsure what to say. She had certainly been involved with a handful of Grisha and nobles, and she didn't care that it had been noticed, but she'd had no idea the rumours were quite that.

"Oh, Vasily, I could call in all of your lovers, but we'd hardly fit them in the room."

Fury contorted his expression and his hand cracked across Irina's cheek. She touched her face, a grim smile crossing her features. Vasily had always been the sort who could dish it out, but never take it, and this outburst simply proved it. Straightening her shoulders, Irina tossed him a smile, showing all of her teeth, before she stepped into the dining room.

"Irina!" Queen Tatiana was on her first in an instant, hurrying across the room to wrap her arms around her daughter. Irina grimaced, trying not to choke on the overwhelming scent of floral perfume. Her mother's lineless skin was proof that she'd still had Genya attending to her in Irina's absence.

"Daughter, we have missed you greatly." King Pyotr remained seated at the table, and Tatiana released Irina, who sat across from her parents and awaited their indignation. Her cheek still smarted from where Vasily had hit her, but that said more about her brother than her. Schooling her features into a neutral expression, Irina clasped her hands and awaited her parents' verdict.

"Where have you been?" Tatiana demanded, sinking in her chair and helping herself to a mimosa. How like her mother to begin drinking so early in the morning. "Irina, we were worried sick. You vanished without a note or anything. We thought maybe you'd been kidnapped, or murdered. Then we heard you were up near the border…"

Tatiana trailed off as if waiting for Irina to unleash a flood of explanations. Her daughter did no such thing, and Tatiana glanced beseechingly at her husband. Pyotr frowned at Irina. He had never much liked her, especially considering the rumours that the twins weren't even his.

"You heard your mother."

"You said it yourself, I was up near the border."

Pyotr frowned. "We don't need any of the clever comments. You know precisely what we mean. Why did you just go?"

Irina picked at her eggs and bacon. "Why don't you ask Vasily? I've heard that he has some interesting theories."

The shocked look her parents exchanged told her they knew precisely what rumours she was referring to. What vexed both them and Vasily was that, as with any gossip that had circulated the palace before her disappearance, Irina chose to remain in smug silence rather than dignifying it with a response.

"I was not harmed. Isn't that answer enough?"

"No, it isn't."

She offered a bedazzling smile. "Would you believe me if I said furthering my education like Nikolai?"

They wouldn't, and it was what she was counting on. Irina had developed a reputation before she had departed, the image of a spoilt princess flirting her way through the Second Army ever-present on the minds of the court. The idea of such a young woman leaving Os Alta for productive reasons simply didn't fit.

"Pardon me, your Majesties." It was Zoya Nazyalensky, resplendent in Etherealki blue as always. The Squaller had a civil relationship with Irina, and it was the princess her piercing gaze landed on now. "The General requests Princess Irina's presence."

Genuine chills raced up Irina's spine. The Darkling had the precious Sun Summoner to fawn over now, so what possible reason could he have to speak with her? Steeling herself, she eased up from the table and prepared to don her second mask of the day—and she hadn't even finished breakfast.

"Lead the way, Zoya."