Chapter 32:
They had only a few hours of sleep before dawn appeared in red orange and yellow at the horizon. Kara was barely opening an eye whereas Alexhander was already dressed, fastening the last buttons of his black kefta. She sat in the bed but remained under the sheets, very aware of her bare legs. Alexhander's breath was caught in his throat for a moment. When he turned around he saw Kara, her hair tousled and her blue eyes cloudy with sleep. Her shirt had fallen to reveal the skin of a shoulder. The rising sun gave her skin a warm glow. They were friends yes. But this friend was beginning to appear enticing. She was smart, brave, kind and intriguing. In the light of the early morning, he realized she was also beautiful. Without the army uniform she looked softer, more gentle. For a second he wanted to wrap her in his arms and bury his face in her hair. He knew however that he would risk making their friendship shatter at its early beginning. he could not have that. He knew so little of her.
Kara was appreciating the silent exchange. She had slept very well even if for a short time. The nightmares had left her alone, just as they had when the general had called upon his darkness in his tent all those weeks ago. Alexhander had a new expression on his face as he looked at her. He seemed in a curious state of contemplation. He smiled finally, " Good morning". She grimaced, " It's a bit early to my liking, but because it's you, I'll accept it". He chuckled, " Lucky me". He became more serious again, " All my affairs have been prepared in advance. I'll be leaving shortly." She nodded wrapping her arms around her legs, hidden under the folds of dark cloth. The general hesitated but came to sit gently by her side of the bed. " will you come and wish me farewell? I would like to see a friendly face wishing me good travels rather than a full procession of serious soldiers". The healer placed her hand on his, " You don't have to ask, I'll be there." He nodded satisfied, " meet me then in a quarter of an hour by the palace entrance". He kissed her cheek and left the room.
Alexhander was giving his last orders to Konstantin, when Kara arrived running and breathless. She had made herself presentable. Her hair had been brushed and pulled back and her army uniform was fresh from the laundry room. Her cheeks were flushed. The shadow summoner was surrounded by his Grisha. The group standing behind him ,waiting on horseback, was to accompany him to the Shu Han border. She saw purple, blue and red keftas, so all factions were represented. Irina, her face sour and forlorn, was amongst them. Kara did not know what to think of this. A part of her was relieved to have a few weeks respite without having to deal with her taunts. Another fraction felt irked that a prior lover would spend time with a man she felt close to. She shook her head. Alexhander is a friend, she reminded herself, I have no right to claim him as my own. The second group facing Alexhander was composed of the Grisha remaining at the Little Palace. Some were wishing their comrades good luck and safe travels with a hand shake, an arm clasp or an embrace. Kara recognized a portion of the group as her students. They seemed less irritated to her presence then the rest. Some even nodded politely in her direction. She smiled and nodded back.
Alexhander had finished providing his last instructions and came to face Kara. Without hesitation, he extended a hand and clasped her fingers in his. The healer was uncomfortable. Everyone was watching or peaking, hoping to see if the rumors of their affection were true. Alexhander was relaxed, as if unaware of the crowd. He cleared his throat, " I have added a Squaller to my ranks so that we may exchange letters more often." Kara was puzzled. How could a wind-summoner allow for such a thing? The general chuckled at her perplexed expression. " Ask Ania to show you our Falconry Post. You'll have to befriend a Squaller here but knowing you, that will be rather easy." Kara snorted. She whispered, their faces quite close, " The summoners have been avoiding me. Fat chance of breaking that ice!". She could not help but eye Irina, who had contributed to this situation. Alexhander could guess what she was thinking. He did not look at the tidemaker, " Irina will not be present to influence them while we are away. You may seize the opportunity to change their minds". Kara raised an eyebrow. "So removing her from the Little Palace was a calculated move for my benefit?". The shadow summoner smiled, " Do you accept the challenge then? Will you write often?". He looked almost worried with his last remark. Kara did something unexpected then. She was not bold enough to kiss him with all eyes set on them. However, she could not keep her reserve before his departure. She slipped her hands out of his grasp and pulled a folded piece of parchment out of her jacket. She gently pulled on the opening of his dark coat to slip it into his inside pocket. He looked at her puzzled. She grinned, " Your first letter, for the journey".
The general laughed, " Lady Kara, did you write this just before joining us?". She blushed slightly, " I may have". Alexhander was touched. The little gesture was thoughtful and personal. No Grisha of his had felt comfortable enough to write to him for the pleasure of sustaining a friendship. To think that this tall blue-eyed Otkazat'sya felt entitled to do it, was incredibly endearing. Alexhander was unaccustomed to the feeling of warmth spreading through his chest. However the feeling quickly turned to dread. Remember, you cannot feel anything for her. Do not put yourself in harm's way...Kara saw the smile on his face freeze and he tried to hide his discomfort by readjusting the letter in his pocket. She felt suddenly as if she had made a misstep. " What is the matter? Have I done something to upset you?". The general shuffled in his black cloak, " No. Forgive me. I am unfamiliar with the kindness you have shown me. I am glad and frightened to have a friend in you". Kara's eyes softened, " You need not worry, I can take care of myself." The shadow summoner chuckled, " I know you can". He tucked gently on her jacket and pulled her into his arms. They held each other a few moments, anchored to the present. Irina's horse shuffled, coherent with his rider's anguish. Kara saw this over the general's shoulder and pulled away out of empathy for her enemy.
Alexhander stepped back, a teasing smile on his face. " Just in case you would be rash and place yourself in danger in my absence, I have asked Igor to watch over you." Kara's face flushed, " I am in no need of a supervisor!". The general swung onto his stallion's back and chuckled, " Consider it a show of my affection. I know how brave or foolish you can be when it comes to saving others". He became serious again, turning his attention to the rest of the crowd. " I bid you all farewell. May the saints be with us all". With that, the procession of horses began their march down the cobblestone path to the bowels of Os Alta below.
The shadow summoner had selected his comrades carefully. They were a small group of twelve so that they might travel swiftly. He had selected 3 summoners, of which a Squaller, an Inferni and a Tidemaker. Irina had not been his first choice, however considering the increasing violence she hurled at Kara at every opportunity, it was a necessary decision. He had then chosen 6 of his more ruthless heartrenders, leaving the more rational one's behind for Kara to train. The two healers he had chosen had refused to be trained by the " Orphan healer". He had spent the past week writing letters to all the outposts on their way so that they would be provided with fresh horses and provisions. Thus, they would travel light and swift. By the evening, they had reached a Grisha safehouse. It was a gift from a deceased Materialki who had made a fortune by making the sandskiffs glide through the Fold in Silence. Having kept the technology secret, he had been the only provider for the past 50 years. Unfortunately, he had perished without taking an apprentice. His technique was lost to them. They would have to maintain the dozen provided ships as best they could. They would reach the city of Poliznaya in 3 days. Then, they would live off dried fish and stale bread for a week before reaching Caryeva. Finally, they would wonder into the mountains, to the limits of the Ravkan border to the abandoned Grisha encampment.
The shadow summoner had settled in one of the bedrooms of the safehouse. There was no need for a coporalki at his door here. The safehouse was an old fort which had been reconstructed with a military mindset. If was small but rather impregnable. The other Grisha traveling with him had dispatched between several other bedrooms, sharing a space with those they felt comfortable with. Irina had tried to suggest sharing his bed but Alexhander reminded her of their new formal relations. He was no longer interested. She had left tense and defeated. Alexhander had lit a few candles and ordered some cold ham and fruits in his room. He planned to look over their itinerary again, making sure he had avoided any roads prone to ambush or surprise attacks. He wanted to leaf through the last report he had received from his soldiers in Caryeva. The officer there had written a confounding report.
We went through the camp in the Shu Han mountains with a fine-tooth comb and found no trace of violence. The horses had freed themselves from their tethers, suffering from hunger. We found them eating grass nearby. All military material is accounted for. The food stocks have been ransacked by wild beasts from the surrounding area. It seems our comrades have left on their own accord.
Alexhander shook his head in disbelief. Had the camp left, one of the commanding officers would have sent a falcon by Squaller to Os Alta. Something was amiss, but he could not imagine what. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his beard in puzzlement. He could not help but fear that something evil had befallen on the encampment. Relations had always been tense with both Ferdja and Shu han. Their country was squeezed between two others who loathed Grisha. He had been able to make a place for them in Ravka, but they were not loved. He knew that. The fact that a whole battalion dissipated into thin air close to an enemy border made him uneasy. As his thoughts strayed between different documents at his desk, his eyes rested on his cloak, thrown with little care on a chair by the fire. Kara's letter came back to his mind. To take his thoughts off the fatigue and anxiety of his mission, he decided to open it. The parchment had been slightly crinkled by the hard ride of the day. He found a comfortable familiarity in the penmanship, having spent hours reading Kara's training program. However, he found a new intimacy with the heading addressed personally to him.
Dear Alexhander,
I cannot help but to think that a first letter sent after your departure would only find you in two weeks time. That can be a lonely road, especially considering the reason you are leaving. I cannot imagine what you must face in your mind or soul on your journey. Are you worried of what you might find? Are you anticipating horror or menace? Or are you in part glad to be on the road, away from the politics and manipulations of the court? I found you less worried when we were in Ferdja, facing very palpable dangers. You seemed to appreciate the sincere and forthright challenges of war, rather than the dishonest but mandatory relations with our monarch.
I would be a fool to try and feel as you feel. We are so different you and I. It is but a miracle that we have found friendship in one another. As I have no news yet to share with you, I will share how I felt on my wonderings, before I found my way to the First Army. I felt free. The sky was the limit. Yes I was also afraid when I had little money or food. Or when my healing was seen as unnatural and my practices close to witchcraft. The occurrence of true danger however, was rare. Most of the time, I traveled were I wanted. I ate when I was hungry. I slept when I needed to. I had little nightmares at that time. I made friends. I met and left lovers. I saw the sun set on the sea. I breathed in the sent of fresh mountain trees. I had no general to report to. No relations to bear but the ones I wanted to keep. I was happy. I was also unattached. Friendships are hard to keep when you wonder away. Relationships need to be nurtured. Of what I have learned, it is very much like taking care of a shy sparrow. If frequent visits or conversations are not maintained, then the sparrow will go back to its wild habits and forget. I therefore understand your request for letters and hope you find this one to your liking.
I cannot write much more as you are leaving. I hope to give this to you before your departure! I wish you safe travels and that none in your company may be injured or worst. Take care. Yours truly, Kara.