"Look at what I have~" Yelena busted into Alina's room in the morning, with a huge smile plastered on her face as she lifted the letter up. "I went to the city to deliver some stuff and by the mail station they told me they got a letter for you" she explained happily as Alina jumped out of bed and grabbed the letter from her friend's hands.

"It's Mal! He wrote!" she exclaimed as she started to jump on the bed with brimming excitement. Yelena could always just wish to have a connection like them. "He says that he started to look for Morozova's Stag, so he can get a free pass into the palace."

"Sounds like an easy job for our Mal" Yelena smiled, remembering how easily Mal found them when playing hide-and-seek.

"The easiest job that the Saints can give him" Alina shook her head amused. "I'm going to write him back now!"

"Sure thing. Write him that I also miss him too" Yelena giggled and Alina nodded while the pen sizzled on the paper she was writing on. "Anyway, how did your training go?"

"Terrible" Alina sighed. "There's this woman who tried to seduce Mal when we were back at the camp. Well… she's here now and she's a big bully."

"I'll bet my life you're talking about Zoya" Yelena loudly scoffed as she tried to hold back a laugh. "That woman treats men like trophies, but I can't blame her when women are also treated like trophies by men."

This was the moment when Genya stepped into the room, surprised to see the two women having fun together. They were adorable in Genya's eyes. They were just like sisters.

"Good morning ladies" she greeted them but only got a cold glance from Yelena. The General told her about the half-fjerdan woman and that she must be even more in her best behaviour to make her trust in them.

"Good morning, Genya" Alina greeted her back without looking up from her letter.

"The General wishes to take you on…" she started but Alina cut her off with an unsatisfied groan.

"I don't want to. I want to write my letter and train, not being sent on a long, lovely horse riding with the General" Alina explained, annoyed, but taking a look at Yelena was all she needed.

"I don't think you have much choice…" but Genya was yet again cut off.

"Yelena could fill in for me. Tailor her to look like me and she goes horse riding in my stead" Alina explained her plan, being extra proud that she can play matchmaker for her friend as she truly believed that she and Kirigan meant to be together. A horrible idea, really.

"That's a terrible idea" Yelena said, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the plan.

"Please, Yel! Do this for me and I will be forever in your debt!" Alina almost pleaded with her, even using her cute dog eyes she could not resist.

"I must agree with Lady Orlova. This is a horrible idea on so many levels. I can't even imagine the General's warth when he realises this ruse" she explained nervously, not knowing what to do.

"But he won't," Yelena sighed. "Because I can play Alina with ease" she told Genya, but she wasn't sure if what she said had any truth in it.

"And if this happens, I take full responsibility" Alina said as she put her hands onto where her heart was supposed to be. "Please" she pleaded.

"Okay" Yelena agreed as she lifted her hands defeated.

So in minutes Alina helped her get into her kefta as Genya tailored her face to be the exact replica of Alina's. She even changed her voice to sound like her friend.

"How do I look?" Yelena looked at her friend when they finished up.

"You're like the exact replica of me. Even the voice. This is so weird…"

"I'm the one looking like you, it would be weird to me" Yelena giggled. "But let's get going before we all get in trouble" she sighed and made her way to the stables, where Ash was. That horse knew it was his owner even though Yelena looked nothing like herself.

"Hi, boy" she greeted Ash as she gently hugged his neck. "Ready for an adventure?" Yelena asked and the horse only answered with an excited neigh. She then pulled herself up into the saddle and galloped out of the stables, ready to look for the General. Which was not hard when he waited next to his black horse, in front of the palace. "General" Yelena greeted him as she stopped her horse next to his.

"It is nice to see you, Miss Starkov" he greeted her as he looked up from feeding the horse some carrots. "Do you like the kefta I chose?" he asked as his gaze was on her dress.

"Yeah, because it doesn't scream; I'm the sun summoner!" she exclaimed as she gesticulated heavily with her hands, like she remembered Alina doing. And this made the general chuckle

"I'm glad you like it" he smiled seemingly genuine as he also pulled himself onto his horse.

"What's her name?" Yelena asked as she looked at the horse. She was a gorgeous pure breed, from the famous West-Ravkan horse breeders themselves.

"I named her Dust" he answered as he gently patted the neck of his horse. "I assume this is Yelena's horse" he said as he looked at the grey coloured mixed breed she was sitting on.

"Yes, she let me borrow him and he is so cute. Aren't I right, Ash?" she stated as she gently rubbed the skin behind the horse's ear.

"Ash and Dust. Has a nice ring to it" the General said as they made their way towards the woods.

"Already planning your horse's wedding? Weird, but I allow it" she said, trying to hold back a giggle.

"Oh, the Saints, I imagined this" he started suddenly laughing so hard he had to put his hand on his stomach.

"You imagined two horses in wedding dresses" but Yelena also couldn't contain her laughter.

"Well, I suppose Dust would look stunning in white lace," he joked, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement.

"And Ash would make a dashing groom," Yelena added, playing along with the whimsical conversation. It felt so good to finally feel connected to someone even though she was impersonating her friend and he was the most feared Grisha in Ravka. "And maybe The Apparat would accept to marry them together, General."

"Please, call me Aleksander" he stated with a smile as their horses galloped next to each other.

"As you wish, Aleksander" Yelena nodded, noting this to tell Alina later. His name actually sounded pleasant, not something that could strike fear in anyone. Maybe that's why he did not really use it anymore.

"How are you adjusting?" he asked and Yelena thought for a solid minute before answering.

"Good, I'll guess. Though I never had warming stones placed in front of my bed before. Used to share a tent with other cartographers" she lied with ease. "And Yelena also helps a lot."

"How did you two meet?" Aleksander asked after a few seconds of thinking.

"She was already there in the orphanage when I arrived," Yelena answered a bit stressed about where this talk will go. "We didn't have a lot in common, except both of us being half-breeds, but she was always there for me, keeping me on the ground when needed. And in turn I was there for her too" she explained thinking that she might be too narcissistic for saying shit like this. "And of course there was and is Mal, a shy kid turned into an egoistic ladies man" Yelena could only giggled as she imagined the Mal Alina were talking about the past days.

"I am glad to see you settling in so well."

"Not hard when people treat you like a Saint" she said as they arrived at their destination, near a fountain deep inside the forest. Yelena remembered this place as she often came here to have fun, by practising archery. "But still, I don't really know where this all will lead."

"I do know how you feel, Miss Starkov. When I was just a little boy, I used to run away and throw a coin into the fountain, wishing that I could be anyone but the descendant of the most hated Grisha in Ravka" he explained as he closed his eyes for a moment as if he was remembering something unpleasant.

"I don't think the Fold is a bad thing" Yelena suddenly said as she looked into the water in the fountain. Alina's face staring back right at her in the still water. "Neither the one who made it." She said, trying to sound like her friend. Because after all she was playing her. "The Fold represents how this world is being torn apart by hate. And the man who made it is just an unfortunate person who gets to play the villain whether he wants it or not. Because if not him, someone else would have made the Fold. Or something like that."

"So, you don't believe in the story?" Aleksander asked as she stood next to her and looked into the water to see his reflection too. "That the Black Heretic grew hungry for more power and the King had to kill him, but it all went south…"

"History is written by the victors, Aleksander. And the Black Heretic was no winner" Yelena said, looking into his strangely calming dark eyes. Yelena knew whatever the truth was, she had no right to judge anyone. She knew how hard it is to survive in a world like this. She knew what sacrifices needed to be made to live on.

"Thank you" he suddenly said as he put his hand on hers while gripping into the edge of the fountain. Yelena then felt that pleasant tingling yet again and couldn't stop herself from blushing a little bit. It was so weird. Maybe she went too far with telling him all of this?

"You're welcome," she answered. "I'll guess it's time to head back. I'll have to continue training."

Upon returning Yelena didn't find Alina in her room and she knew she must have gone training. Sometime later Genya came around and undid the tailoring, making Yelena look like herself once again. The half-fjerdan mailwoman of the Little Palace.

"You deserve nothing, razrushost" spat Ana Kuya, the matron of the orphanage, as she dragged Yelena through the hallway as the ten-year-old tried to get out of her grip.

"Let me go, you old hag!" the little Yelena screamed as she thrashed around. But no matter how hard she tried, she was no match and felt herself tossed out into the rain.

"There's no place for you in this world. Never will. So thank me for preparing you for it. Come back when the night falls" she stated coldly, leaving her out in the heavy rain to fend herself.

Yelena was sitting in the rain for a few minutes, looking up and finding Alina and Mal looking out of their window with shocked faces. This all came out of nowhere because they were just playing when Ana barged in and took her. Of course she argued, but it was no use.

Upon realising her fate Yelena stood up and slowly made her way to the town, her blonde hair sticking to her neck and clothes soaked from the rain.

"They treat me like a monster" Yelena silently told herself as she found refuge in an abandoned alley. "I don't want to be one. I don't want to be a razrushost, a ruination." She feared that one day she would be thrown out and could never come back, and could never see her friends again.

"I know this face" Genya suddenly said, making Yelena aware that she had not left the room.

"What face?" she spat back, hardening her features, not letting her memories change her emotions.

"The face of someone who has been sold like cattle," the red haired explained calmly. "I wish I would have the strength you have to escape."

"That's our reality, doesn't it? The strong survive and the weak die. What do the Fjerdans say?" Yelena wondered for a bit. "Ah, I remember now. Rule of wolves" she finished as she turned around to look at Genya.

"You're right," she agreed. "I'll take my leave now if you don't mind" Yelena just nodded as an answer and the redhead was gone in seconds. Perhaps there was more to her than what Yelena heard from the gossip.

Soon Alina arrived back from her training and looked down, just like alway when she trains with Baghra. But her poor mood ended fast when Yelena told her everything that happened.

"So he held your hand? It means the General likes you!" jumped Alina excitedly.

"No, the General likes you, Al," she corrected her friend. She doubted Aleksander would ever like her, when she was what the enemy looked like. "I looked like you, I sounded like you because I played you. There was no me, just you."

"Come on! Don't be a party pooper" Alina groaned, annoyed by this failed attempt to make her friend see how good she and the General could have been together.

"Fine…" Yelena rolled her eyes with a small smile. "He was not as bad as I thought. I even liked… talking with him about the Fold" she admitted.

Alina's eyes widened with excitement. "See? I told you there's something between you two!"

"If that makes you sleep better at night, let it be" Yelena gave up the resistance. "Anyway, how did the training go?"

"Shitty. I don't really know if I'll be ever ready to do what they want me to do" she sighed as she sat down on the bed.

"The Fold is just a poor excuse, Alina. Nothing will change, even if you tear it down. So, instead of people waiting for a miracle, a Saint, they should work together."

"You think it would be better if we could unite the world rather than divide it under the cause of destroying the Fold?"

"Yes, because the real enemy is not the Grisha or Shu Han or Fjerda. The real enemy is the Fold. But I don't think it's bad. The world needed to be reminded how far it has fallen."

"Yeah, but how can we hope the world can be a better place?"

"By taking matters in our own hands. You are the Sun Summoner, Alina. If I can think of anyone that has the power to change everything, it's you."