Chapter 6: to win a war

Kara knew she had to see the Darkling before the scouts left the next morning. She needed to see him that night. She had missed diner and she felt feeble from lack of sleep and hunger. As weak as she felt, she could not risk resting and missing the convoy departure the next day. She walked slowly, focusing on her every step until she was infront of the black tent. She realized she had not warned her own general but was too exhausted to delay relaying the information. The Oprichniki standing guard by the entrance where skeptical about letting her in but once she had been announced to General Kirigan she was invited to step in. The tent seemed more inviting at night, it's every corner lit by dozens of candles. The General was seated at the table, focusing on a piece of parchment.

He raised his eyes to look at her and was struck by the shadows on Kara's face. The hollow under her eyes were dark and her cheeks were pale. she swayed on her feet. Alexhander rose quickly and grabbed her arm to steady her," Are you well?". She laughed, " I certainly am not but I had to see you". He was puzzled at first, and then his eyes lit up, " you got him to talk". She nodded, her eyes half shut due to the migraine drilling behind her pupils. The general led her gently to a chair and cleaned away the letters and parchments hiding a large map. Kara recognized a map of the mountains to the east of Chenast with its forests and rivers. Areas had been flagged as scouted, others were left bare. She traced the Obol river which spanned from the True Sea all the way to the Permafrost in Ferjda.
The General observed her, " What did the count say?". She felt so tired and the table looked so inviting...if she could only rest her head...let the pain in her head wash over her and put her out of her misery. Her breathing was irregular, " He said... he said he could hear rushing water from where they were kept". Alexhander's eyes sparkled, " that's not much but I wonder...if the sound was deafening, it might be a waterfall. There are two which are very prominent this far up north the Obol river: the Vysokiy and the Gromkiy. Did he mention anything else?" Kara shook her head, holding onto the table, " We can try to ask him tomorrow...yes, tomorrow". The General had barely the time to catch Kara as she felt from her chair. She was limp in his arms, her eyes almost closed already, her blond hair in disarray over the arm of his black kefta. He had been unkind he realized. His intention to end the war quickly on the Ferdjan front did not let him see the exhaustion she had clearly been pointing to. He brushed aside a strand of hair falling onto her face, " I'm impressed, for an Otkazat'sya you are quite effective and resilient".
Her chuckle was but a whisper, " what a backhanded compliment..." and then she lost consciousness.

Alexhander called for one of his guards to contact the First Army infirmary for a stretcher, so that the lady Kara could be brought to her tent. Once Kara had gently been placed on a litter and carried out, general Biryukov was called. He was in a bad mood, sending out another scouting mission with no clue as to where to look was getting on his nerves. He brushed the snow off his coat and stomped his boots at the entry out of courtesy. Kirigan started as soon at the the general came level with the table. "Ah, General, I have good news. I have information which should help us reduce drastically our selection of places to look for our adversaries. We should focus on the largest waterfalls of the Obol river in the area, starting with the Vysokiy and the Gromkiy. Biryukov was startled, " How did you come by this information? Is your source trustworthy?". Kirigan nodded, "The count, the prince's cousin, seemed to imply that they slept near rushing waters when he was held captive". The old Ravkan general was impressed, " You got the count to talk?! I thought the man has been reduced to a blubbering mess." Alexhander crossed his hands in his back, looking regal, " It was actually your head healer who managed to extract the information. How, I do not know".

Biryukov squinted his eyes suspiciously, " And at what time did she come to you to deliver such precious information?". Alexhander hesitated, " Just now, before I called you to discuss tomorrow's scouting party". The old general swore, " General Kirigan with all due respect, my head healer has not slept in days. I had ordered that she be sent to bed earlier this afternoon. Your ambition has kept her awake until far past midnight. And now she is out cold in her tent for who knows how long." Alexhander stiffened, he had not expected for the general to know so soon. Biryukov saw this, " You thought I would not know what happens in the infirmary attached to my own army?". Alexhander fiddled with the map, hoping to quickly move to strategy and planning, " That would have been naive of me." The grey-haired general came closer to Kirigan with a cold and menacing voice, " I'd like to remind you, General, That we non-grisha do not get stronger when we tap into our energy supply. Sleeping and eating are essential".
He sighed, disbelieving he had to explain something so plain to an almost centennial Grisha summoner, " Kara has the flaw of wanting to serve her country as best she can, which means that she will deprive herself of those essential things to save a life. She probably thought that if she did not work long hours grilling the count, our scouting party might risk their lives for nothing". Alexhander felt uncomfortable. He cared little for members of the First Army apart from the manpower it represented. However, Kara had proven over and over in the past few days that she was no ordinary soldier. She had valor, honesty, compassion, intelligence and creativity...all in service of saving those she could. Biryukov whispered, " You should know that, if one of your Grisha soldiers were wounded and without Grisha healer, Kara would extend her talents to them as well. Unlike me, she has nothing against your sort".

Alexhander grew cold, " and what is the problem with my sort as you see it?". Biryukov looked suddenly sad, " You are blinded by your pride. You justify your superiority by your Small Science. You defend your cold indifference by the fact your ancestors have been hunted and misunderstood. However, without compassion you will remain with few allies." Biryukov laid a hand on Alexhander's shoulder, as a father would lecturing a child, " Having allies or even friends can be just as effective in saving lives than knowing how to heal. And this is what Kara is gifted with. Maybe you could learn a thing or two from her." Alexhander showed nothing and gruffly added, " Are you done giving me your lecture? So we might move on to our planning to end this war quickly." Biryukov sighed, " I just needed you to hear it. You owe Kara for this one". A small voice in Alexhander's mind said, He's right. If this war ends tomorrow, it would not have come to be without the lady healer from the First Army. He hated owing anything to anyone. He would see to it that his debt was paid quickly so that nothing was left unfinished and tying him to the head healer.

Kara woke up the next day, her eyes were blurry at first but when they focused, Seraphine was by her side. " How are you feeling?" she asked as she straightened the quilt and blankets. Kara sat up on her elbows " like I've have too much kvas and feel hungover?". Seraphine snorted, " well at least if you're making jokes you're on the mend". The old crone hesitated, " Why didn't you tell us how tired you were?". Kara sighed, " because we all are tired and resting means leaving you to carry a heavier load in managing the infirmary." " you are not just tired Kara, you FAINTED inside the Darkling's tent". Kara shrugged, " I had to talk to him, he needed to know...". She suddenly sat straight up, grabbing Seraphine's arm. " How long have I been out? Have they scouted near the Vysokiy and the Gromkiy? Do we have more soldiers wounded?". Seraphine gave Kara a glass of hot sweet tea, " you've been unconscious for a whole day. I do not know what they found during their scouting but again, no one talks to the healers about military strategy. And no we don't have any more wounded." Seraphine frowned, " General Biryukov came by an hour ago, asking that we discharge any able bodied soldiers who can still fight." Kara paused with her cup halfway to her lips, " that probably means they found something and plan on an offense tomorrow". Seraphine nodded, " We've been getting everything ready for more patient with Artyom and Yurii. We've stored up on tonics and potions and cleaned all our blankets, covers and bandages. Luka has been asking how you are. He's been called by his mentor to work on explosives" Kara took a large gulp and set down her cup. She made a move to get up, " I'll help you with setting up." Seraphine held her firmly, " No, you will not. You are still exhausted and you need to rest. That sweet tea should be taking effect. I slipped a bit of valer'yanka powder in it". Kara was already drowsy, " you drugged me?". Seraphine laid her down and fluffed her pillow," I had to Dorogaya. You won't care for yourself, so I will". Kara didn't hear. She was already sound asleep.

Kara woke up the next morning before sunrise. Her night terrors had caught up with her when the effect of the tea wore off and she woke up drenched in sweat. At least she felt strong enough to go about her day. The nightmares had started as soon as she has started working in the army. She was haunted by those who had died and whom she had been unable to save. She saw their faces, relived their cries for help and screams of agony. She had tried sleeping draughts but they only lasted an hour or so and could become addictive if taken too often. She had resolved in waiting to be exhausted to fall asleep so that her deep slumber would be less tainted by nightmares. She arrived in time at the infirmary to receive a new wave of wounded. Strangely enough, the ones who had light wounds were happy and whooping. She learned that the Ferdjan base had been found under the Gromkiy waterfall. A huge cavern was hidden under the fall of rushing water, allowing the Ferdjans to easily hide their tracks, smells and heartbeats from Kirigan's heart renders. With the help of the Alkemi's explosives, they were able to destroy the base, killing most of their adversaries from the blast and falling debris. The ones who had evacuated through the waterfall were greeted by ravkan soldiers and taken hostage. The joyful air emanating in the infirmary after 6 months of morose atmosphere was unsettling. Ania arrived breathless with her two apprentice. As there were no Grisha wounded in the final skirmish, the Darkling had permitted they help out at the First Army infirmary, so that this day of victory could have the least casualties possible. Kara felt her heart soar. The wounded from the First Army were skeptical at first but quickly thanked the Grisha healers once they could be released with little more than a few scars. Kara held Ania's hand and thanked her profusely until Ania blushed and mumbled a proud "your welcome" as she healed a broken arm.

Kara was surprised that General Kirigan had approved Ania's initiative. she guessed it was an unspoken way of thanking her for the clue that led them to end the skirmish on the northern front. She went to visit the count who seemed to have recovered from his stupor. He was his "old self again" said the prince after inviting him for tea in his lavish tent. The only sign of the trauma left was that the count had no recollection of his time as a hostage with the Ferdjans. His mind had wiped away those memories as a protection. He did not remember Kara's intervention to her relief. He seemed to believe that his mother had come to him in a dream to save him, and things were better this way. She would see with General Kirigan which story to tell to the king once they appeared before him. Indeed the prince insisted that his saviors and those of his cousin be thanked officially for their service to Ravka and its royal family. They would spend a few days days in Os alta at the palace before joining the rest of the First or Second Army, either by the Fold or the southern front of Shu HAN. A part of the First Army would stay a few more weeks on the northern front for good measure. Time enough to send ambassadors to the Ferdjan royals in Djerholm to understand if the skirmishes were of their doing or an independent action from Ferdjan rebels. Once That was settled, with no short amount of pressure for the Ferdjan royal family to sign a peace treaty, the remaining soldier would dismantle the base camp of Chenast and finally, leave.

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