𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

Temporary Home

I lay on my cot, spinning my necklace between my fingers. My mind is still as ice as I focus on the breathing around me. Matthias wakes and begins seeing to the weapons. I focus on the sound of him cleaning his rifle when I hear Nina wake up. Matthias looks over her body as she stretches and I smile a little as his eyes flick guiltily back to his gun. Soon Wylan awakes as well and Inej. Kaz stirs but I'm guessing he never really fell asleep.

Inej goes to make tea and Wylan goes over sketches with Kaz and Kuwei. The two boys look strikingly identical. The only way I can tell the difference is their hands. Wylans fingers are bony and lumpy while Kuwei's are round and callused and covered with burns from chemical mishaps. Out of instinct, my eyes flick up to Kaz's and I find him already looking my way. We both avert our eyes and I join Inej. I cross my arms, my mood reserved and looking for a less conflicting conversation.

"I'm sorry for not asking earlier. Would you like a new blouse and pants?" She offers kindly.

"Yes I would love some, thank you." She smiles and leads me back to the room and she pulls a black blouse from her case. I quickly replace the short sleeve with the long sleeves and smile at how the wrist bands sit snugly on my wrists and a quarter way up my forearm. She hands me a pair of black trousers and I thank her before putting them on. When I step out she raises her brow.

"Honey, did no one teach you how to style simple clothing?" Nina asks.

"What's wrong with it."

"Well, your shirts untucked and those like that." Inej pretends to barf.

"We'll help me then." I smile as they bot rush over. They fiddle with my outfit. Tugging my sleeves down over my hands and tucking half my shirt Into my trousers. They unbutton a button and admire their handy work.

"She looks like she just rolled out of bed." Jesper laughs.

" I know it's not the fancy suits or dresses you used to where but, but it looks good." I thank Inej and Nina still looks like she swallowed a bug.

"Your hair is disgusting. No offense Inej."

"None taken. It doesn't fit your face."

"My face? What do you mean?"

"You have a square face, dear. Tight back isn't the way to go unless you have Inej's pointed chin." Nina muses.

"Did you used to have a personal stylist?" Inej asks.

"She designed my suits but I always chose them myself. And chose my hair."

"Well sorry dear but sleek is not your look."

"Fine fix it," I say.

The girls squeal and sit me in a chair. After a few minutes, I see that Nina has tailored my curls, and Inej has elaborately braided the top half of my hair and let the short pieces in front fall freely.

"Nina you shouldn't have tailored me." I protest.

"It was worth it." I sigh as her face looks a little pale and her hands shake worse.

"Thank you, Nina," Nina smirks and flicks her eyes behind me. I look behind me and see Kaz again looking at me. I sigh and look back to Inej who has a cup of hot tea for me. "Thank you, Inej." She smiles and nods and sits next to me.

"How are you feeling, Nina?" I ask as she sits beside me. "Feel like a little breakfast?" I offer.

"I don't think so." She leans forward. "Thank you both for standing by me last night."

"Of course," I say, patting her shoulder.

"You may repay us in the customary way," Inej says with a smile.

"Waffles?"

"Lots of them." We share a light laugh.

"You need them, VanEk didn't feed you did he?" Nina questions me.

"I wasn't particularly obliging but he tried for a while."

"And then?"

"Then he decided to torture me." Nina clenches her fists.

"I'm going to string his in yards up like party curtains," Nina says.

"While I appreciate the thought, the debt is mine to pay." I sigh. "The fear was the worst part. After the ice court job, I thought I was over all that. Guess not."

"Soya used to say fear is like a Phoenix. You can watch it burn a million times but it always returns."

"We should leave soon, we have little more than an hour before sunrise." Matthias insists.

"What are you wearing. Do we need to style you too?" Nina laughs at Matthias's red vest and trousers he placed over his clothes.

"Kaz procured papers for us, in case we are stopped at the Ravkan embassy." He looks at the papers closely. "We are Sven and Catrine Alfisson. Fyerdan defectors seeking shelter at the Ravkan embassy."

"Not too from the truth," I state.

"Are we married, Matthias?"

"I think we're siblings." I laugh.

"That's not creepy at all." Jesper rubs the sleep from his eyes.

"Why did you have to make us siblings, Brekker?" Nina yells at Kaz, making me laugh harder.

Kaz continues to focus on his document. "Because it was easier for Specht to forge the papers that way, Zenik. Same parents' names and birthplace, and he was working to accommodate your noble impulses at short notice."

"We don't look anything alike." Nina states.

"You're both tall." Inej offers.

"And neither of us have gills, that doesn't mean we're related." Nina snarls. I calm my laughter down to a smirk as I sip my tea.

"Then Taylor him." Kaz offers, finally looking up from his document.

"I don't want to be tailored," Matthias interjects.

"You'll be fine," Jesper says, breaking the tension. "Just keep the soulful glances to a minimum and try not to grope each other in public."

"Here." Matthias hands Nina the dress and blonde wig.

"This better be my size," Nina says, grabbing a lantern and storming off.

"You're in for a treat, Arcane." Inej whispers with a grin.

"Why?" I ask just a Nina enters the room with a very low-cut dress that hugs her curves. I feel my lips twitch into a grin as Matthias gapes at her. Jasper doubles over in laughter and even Kaz's eyebrows have shot up. I laugh as everyone seems to be in shock.

AN

I know it might be annoying but I'm trying something out. Please don't forget to vote and comment 😁