AN:
yet another time when chap title is a big fat LIE. Darkles has ppl to hunt the Stag for him. but it just sounds so nice i had to give in. ;)
it's probably unfortunately the case where AN is looks longer than actual chapter. oh well
i had such ambitious plans! at some point, after second quick update in a row, filled with muse, i actually believed i could write the whole arc in two weeks. and THEN i had to catch a cold. once i felt healthy enough to write again, news about war made it weird to even think abt Grishaverse and Ravka – even if in this fic's timeline right now, with being attacked [by two countries], it resembled Ukraine more than Russia.
but here we are again – i guess spending the whole day translating some stupid article (about deforming roots of polynomial via fracional derivative. ugh.) awoke Muse from the slumber.
and let me tell you – as much as i have it all mostly outlined (very vaguely per usual) i came up with much better way to take care of Baghra. *evil laugh* it will happen in few chapters and i hope i'll manage to write it half as dramatic as i imagined the scene. anyway-
let's get back to Darkles hunting amplifier for his almost gf (in case u wonder, he spent many sleepless nights trying to figure out a label for them. still without success so far) so that nothing bad happens to her where he cannot help much (totally not my idea. he's having these thought and i m just reporting)
(hopefully i didnt paste any spoilers from the outline-)
so so sorry for all the mistakes, i am posting instead of sleeping. this chapter grew out of control, enjoy?
At first Alina doesn't notice anything wrong. She spends her days either fighting or planning attacks with her Inferni (at this point even Marie starts to grow on her) and her nights sneaking around and practicing if she's not dozing off on the Darkling's shoulder as they study the Fold on the maps sent by the best cartographers the First Army can offer. (Sometimes Ivan catches them and orders both to sleep – that Alina obeys is an obvious thing, but the fact her brother can make their soverenyi listen is something she will never forget.)
But then there is a day, a beautiful sunny day between the fights, when on her way to the Darkling's tent she sees Mal Oretsev leaving it. Alina freezes on spot, old memories from childhood resurfacing. Of course, like most of the orphans, he would join the First Army. Later she will realize she'd already seen him before in the camp, but in this moment Alina could only clench her fists and watch her old nemesis walk away with suspicious glances sent towards her Grisha. The more she remembered about Mal, the more furiously she felt. All these years on the front taught her not all the otkazat'sya were bad people, but as a child Mal Oretsev was pure evil. He couldn't have grow out of it! He was the model specimen of otkazat'sya behavior. Distrustful and untrustworthy, fearful and the reason to fear, if he only could he would harm all of her kin, and-
What was he doing inside the Darkling's tent?
A strange protectiveness clenched her chest. She moved from her safe spot behind... some pretty Heartrender, currently laughing at her – wait until Ivan hears about this! – and feeling the other woman's curious eyes following her, Alina scurried towards the black tent.
" Moi soverenyi !" she cried out, breathing hard but channeling her best inner Ivan as she looked around for the Darkling's injured body, preferably out of kefta ... Only to find the bastard safe and sound, dressed to the nines as if the King was coming for a tea, looking up at her from some small book with a polite surprise.
Maybe he was poisoned ? She picked his cup boldly, took a gulp and almost choked – it was more sugar than water. Not even she could win against such brew.
"I guess that's why nothing's been done with the Shadow Fold in ages. Diabetes kills every Darkling before they can try," she said sternly, and – thanking the Black Heretic's soul watching over her from the realm of the dead – she shared her smuggled piece of an apple cake with sweet cream*.Alina waited patiently until the man was completely lost in a perfect combination of sweet and sour before she attacked, "What was that otkazat'sya doing here?"
The Darkling blinked innocently.
Alina squinted. Then she glared.
The only answer she got was a sly smile, the one that made her think of little Grisha wreaking havoc behind the teacher's back. (She used to be one after all.) Then they were interrupted by a bunch of Ethearalki, who seemed to forget their place and the fact that certain hours of their General's time belonged to Inferni captains, and Inferni captains only.
Ever since he was a little boy, when Mother told him stories of Grandfather, she would always insist that no Grisha should ever think of acquiring any of the Morozova's Amplifiers. My father , she would say, has tarnished what was once pure, and none of our people could ever be trusted with such power .
Long before he created the Shadow Fold, he heard stories of the Sun Summoners as well, but it was his failure with controlling merzost that made him think that perhaps... if one day he met one... they might be able to help him. And what better amplifier to make it all possible than one from legends, twisted by his own blood? Like called like after all, and this kind of connection made perfect sense.
In his youthful naivety, he didn't keep his mouth shut around Baghra, so his mother knew those plans and, of course, condemned them.
(She had only two moods: bored and critical.)
But now Aleksander found a better use for the Stag.
And there was no way for Baghra to hear about it – at least not until it was too late.
If only the one for whom he intended the Stag didn't turn out to be the only Grisha ever to detest a mere idea of an amplifier. The first time he mentioned his idea to David Kostyk, he was practically laughed out of Durast's lab. Unfortunately, David knew Alina much longer than Aleksander did, as was proved by the General's fruitless attempts to get his Inferni to express at least a bit of an interest in that truly sacred tradition of the Second Army.
The more powerful Grisha soldier was, the more likely they were to obtain an amplifier, preferably as soon as they finished their education at the Little Palace. Of course, the Darkling's favorites were always first in line to get one. Zoya wasn't older than thirteen when she fought her Tsibeyan tiger.
It was impossible to deny Alina's power among other Inferni, and by now everyone knew she was his favorite. She should have found an occasion to get an amplifier years ago, and somehow it has escaped the Darkling's attention. Luckily it meant she could be gifted now with the best of them all. He was deliciously scared of what was to come out from it.
There was a matter of finding the stag – but what did the Generals have armies for?
His secret was saved the first time Alina saw Zoyka's tracker, and since the boy would leave the next day with supposedly trustworthy mates, Aleksander expected his search for Morozova's Stag to remain a surprise until the very last moment. The tracker didn't seem to be a much of a gossip – he didn't seem to be much of anything. He couldn't imagine what such a gifted Squaller saw in the boy. Really, if not for that famous skill of his, the Darkling would never bother with that particular otkazat'sya . But if the light and the darkness couldn't exist without each other, than perhaps the most unremarkable of men would be able to find the most unique creature?
Apparently it wouldn't be so easy – the date of Alina's crossing was coming closer each day, David was making dozens of projects but still needed the material, and Zoya's boy returned unsuccessfully from the south. To make it worse, in the middle of the grumpy tracker's report, they heard a weak protest of Oprichniki and the black silks covering the entry moved, revealing Alina.
He contemplated - as usual - how much the color suited her, how stunning she would look in a much darker kefta (maybe he should mention it to David... see what the Durast could come up with...), having remembered the tracker only when Alina nudged the boy hard on her way to Aleksander. She didn't even wait for him to offer her his chair – she took a position on his right and (that was new) placed a small possessive hand on Aleksander's shoulder. He shivered – touching others wasn't something he practiced often before Alina Starkov conquered his mind, but it brought him a strange contentment, being seen with her, even if only by some random otkazat'sya .
Aleksander got so lost in his thoughts (and pleasant warmth coming from her hand) that it took him a while to realize the tracker wasn't reporting, but instead seemed engrossed with a silly-sounding argument with the Inferni commander. He quickly put an end to it, and made the boy finish his report while Alina listened with him.
"Why would you send someone like Mol to capture anything important to you? He's clearly uncompetent-"
"It's Mal , you stupid witc-" Oretsev shut up when he felt the Darkling's glare.
"As I was saying, Mat is clearly here because a certain Squaller-"
"Captain Starkov! I believe that's enough. Indeed, Private Oretsev is here thanks to Captain Nazyalensky's recommendation-"
"Gee, I wonder how hard he had to work under her for that..." Alina muttered.
Aleksander looked at her half-pleadingly, half-ominously. It was bad form showing their unusual dynamics and her insubordination in front of an impressionable First Army soldier, and he was trying to tell her something!
"As I was saying-" he frowned at her, "-Private Oretsev has been given a special mission, appropriate to his skills." Aleksander straightened on his chair and braced himself. The secret was out anyway, it was only a matter of... delivering it. "I've chosen your amplifier, and Oretsev will track it for you," he smiled smugly and ignored the soldier blinking stupidly at him.
Alina's face turned completely blank.
Aleksander bravely kept on smiling.
She abruptly pointed at the tracker, "You. Out!"
The tracker's mouth opened, with clearly something spiteful meant to come out, but Alina waved her hand. Inferni light, burning merrily inside a decorative bowl, crawled out of it and curled lovingly around her fingers.
"I said out ."
Otkazat'sya made that small useless gesture which – according to farmers - protected from evil, and then he ran away. Actually, Aleksander had new orders for him, but he guessed it could wait. First he had to get out of this Everblaze intact.
"Now, " Alina placed both hands on each armrest, and leaned dangerously close, caging the Darkling effectively in his own throne, her eyes cold and dark, "What was that you were saying about an amplifier?"
No amount of protests seemed to work anymore on the Darkling – he declared that without a "worthy" amplifier, he wouldn't let her even look in the direction of the Shadow Fold, not to mention work on it.
That's how Alina was now a part of a merry expedition deep into Permafrost, with her General, a bunch of First Army trackers, David, two inescapable Heartrenders, group of Tidemakers, Zoya Nazyalensky and Mal volcra -damned Oretsev.
(One might never forget the name of their first nemesis, but her only fun these days seemed to be making up things she could call him instead. Ivan was no help and she was running out of options.)
Alina used to think she could never get cold, and the thought only felt more right once she discovered her true power, but Permafrost made all the winters look silly. She thanked the Saints front wasn't pushed that far, even if the thought felt traitorous. She will be redeemed when she brings the Fold on the enemies of Ravka and ends the war. With a little help from the Darkling, perhaps.
If she gets sick after this, she knows exactly whom she'll force to rub her back with kamfora.
Speaking of medicine, the Darkling nudged her with a bottle of kvas.
Alina glared at the man sharing sledges with her. Did he want to turn a secret mission into a damn Kulig? Not that she wanted the Stag so badly, but if it was the only way of getting into the Unsea, well... It made the hunt a serious matter, not a damn celebration.
Alina pouted (effect lost inside her thick fur) and tried to open up a battered copy of Ravkan fairytales with clumsy gloved fingers. She heard a chuckle and felt the warmth of his breath on her cheek.
"Don't tell me you're trying to read? Look around, look at the world, let your eyes rest!"
"Traitor," she muttered and sniffed, then went back to her serious study.
Few flasks later, when he asked everyone what they would do with the antlers if they were a Durast, she replied truthfully, "A crown."
It's been two weeks since they entered the Permafrost when she felt it. At first she thought it was only a locket on her chest, which has been doing lots of temperature jumps recently, but it was something more than that. In the middle of the night, she tried to wake the Darkling up discreetly, but he was already dressed when she approached his tent. "Did you feel-" they whispered in unison and smiled at each other. "It's calling you," her soveren muttered smugly. Instead of waking anyone else up, he gestured at Ivan to stay at the post, and tugged Alina's hand with pure delight in his eyes. They sneaked through the snowy woods, the Darkling surrounding them both subconsciously in a thin shadow and Alina's light struggling with her to resurface and hide them.
It was eerily quiet, even for a night. They reached a clearing, and there it stood, bathed in moonlight. "So you are real after all," Alina sighed. She almost expected the Darkling to laugh at her, but he too stood transfixed on the stag.
It was beautiful, otherworldly, just like stories said, the silvery-white coat, the enormous antlers, the wise dark eyes. The warmth of the locket became unbearable, her Darkling clutched her hand tighter before they both reached to took of the gloves-
And the Stag disappeared just when they heard footsteps and heavy pants.
It was Ivan, his kefta almost hurting their eyes, with a small pouch in his hand.
" Moi soverenyi ... important message... from the capital."
Fury left the Darkling's face when he took out the letter and unfolded it. Shadows thickened around him. Before he moved away from Alina looking over his shoulder, she thought she noticed Genya Safin's fancy handwriting.
They marched back to the camp, where every Grisha was awake and the trackers slowly joined them. Before she knew what was happening, the Darkling ordered everyone to pack up. He clutched the letter in his ungloved hand and didn't speak a thing for days until the sledges brought them back out of the Permafrost, where their horses were being taken care of.
"Ivan, Alina, Zoya – into the carriage. Fedyor, David and Nadia will join as soon as they can. The rest will follow us tomorrow. We're going back to the capital," his voice was harsh but controlled as he continued giving the instructions. Alina kissed Morozko goodbye while Ivan kissed Fedyor and both stomped towards the Darkling's carriage. No matter how much Alina wanted to argue, she knew that tone and the way his shadows acted, and so did Zoya. Squaller and Inferni exchanged worried glances. What could possibly perturb their fearless leader so much? Alina tried to come up with any idea why this particular configuration of Grisha was needed by the General's side and failed.
As soon as the carriage was on its way, his Grisha bombarded him with questions, even Ivan, but one voice dominated the small space.
"... and what about the Fold?" his Inferni demanded.
Aleksander couldn't help laughing bitterly. Why did it hurt him so much to look at her?
"It's about the Fold more than anything else. The Sun Summoner has been found," he ignored the gasps of Zoya and the sudden paleness of Ivan, just turned his stare away from Alina and looked through the window grimly. "She currently resides in Os Alta. In a Saints damned Grand Palace. At Lantsovs' back and call."
Everyone was silent – albeit Ivan seemed to be breathing again - and the Darkling continued his brooding, uninterrupted until the sun shone through the thick clouds and brought out red and gold from Alina's brown eyes. But it was her voice that made Aleksander feel more certain, more like himself, "Then we will bring her right where she belongs."
AN:
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* according to Grishaverse wiki, it's a Fjerdan courting gift. I bet Alina didn't know... or did she? also when i wrote smuggled – was it taken from Second Army's storage or did sth happen in a Fjerdan village when Alina was supposed to do some soldiery-surveillance thing instead of stocking up in a local bakery? who knows...
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of course, Everblaze isn't something from Grishaverse, it's just my (my second use of an) easter egg for any fans of KotLC, while others perhaps correctly assumed it's a big scary magical fire ;)
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me: *trying to make the fic sound era appropriate*
random page of SaB that i opened recently: *has Alina say "OK" to sth Genya said*
me: ;( ;( ;(
*a few days later*
me: "... and then Alina was channeling Ivan..."
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i made Darkles say my Grandma's line what kind of fic is this
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we're finally getting into a soap-opera-worthy twist that i promised a long time ago. i havent read this SB fic yall keep mentioning, (but i guess i should once i'm done with writing misclassification) and despite possibility of darklina minds thinking alike i hope there will be some surprises - or at least fun - in those 2 or 3 chapters it will take to move on to the next drama. (i should go to sleep now.) dont hesitate to tell me what u think (in case u have any question that u consider spoiler-y, i'm on tumblr under the very same username, so come and ask. or just say hi :) )