Fire and Shadows (DarklingxOC) (Shadowandbone fanfic)

Chapter 6

Once I'm in my room, I lay down on my bed. This was only my first day and I'm already exhausted. I sit back up and walk to the bathroom. I fill the bath with hot water, while I start undressing. I carefully step into the bath, once it's filled a little beneath the rim. The hot water relaxes my body immediately and I just lay in the bath, thinking, until it gets cold.

I'm just sitting at my desk, after putting on my Kefta, sketching on some paper I found, when someone knocks on my door.

I stand up and open it.

"Hey Anya, want to go to dinner?" Alina asks.

"Hey, sure. I'm starving." I say, while walking into the hallway and closing the door behind me.

The dinning room we arrive at, is a big rectangular room. The dark wood flooring has a big triangle design in the middle. Around it, are three long tables that follow the edges of the design on the floor. One for each order of Grisha. At the top of the table, sits a big black empty chair. Alina walk over to sit in between Marie and Nadia, while I go over to Mila and Dimitri.

"Hey Anya." Mila happily greets. Dimitri gives me a nod.

"Hey Mila. Hey Dimitri" I say while sitting in the empty chair between them.

"Did you already have your first lesson with Baghra?" Mila asks. I nod. "How was it?" She asks eagerly.

"Is she always so... rude?"

Mila laughs. "That's just Baghra for you. She's like that with everyone. Don't take it personally."

"I'm just not sure if her teaching ways are really helping me."

"It's only been your first lesson, don't give up now. At least go to a second one."

"Okay." I say, while a Heartrender stands up.

"News from the Fjerdan front." He starts. "In the First Army, many casualties in the 18th, 27th and 36th battalions."

I hope Mal is okay.

"Also among the dead, six Healers, four Inferni and three Heartrenders. The Fjerdans will be no match against a unified Ravka." He continues. "Why are you here eating figs, hmm?" He asks turning towards Alina." You should be training every waking moment to tear down the Fold."

Does he really think that Alina not eating, is going to help her tear down the Fold?

I lean over the table to look at Alina. I try giving her a reassuring smile, but she never glances over at me. The Heartrender sits back down and we all get served our food.

"Who is supposed to sit in that chair?" I ask, pointing towards the empty chair at the top of the table, while most people stand to get back to their rooms.

"That's for the General, but he's almost never here for dinner." Mila explains, while we also stand up.

I hope he eats enough.

"Well, I'm going to go to Alina. See you tomorrow." I say to Mila and Dimitri.

I walk over to where she's standing with Nadia and Marie. Before I can say anything, Alina starts walking away. I look over to Nadia and Marie for an explanation, but they just shrug. I run to catch up with her.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask carefully, not wanting to upset her more.

"I'm fine." She responds.

I don't believe her, but I don't push her either. If she wants to talk to me about what's troubling her, she would.

The whole way to our rooms is completely silent.

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The next morning, Genya helps me get ready and I leave to go to combat training. I wanted to go with Alina, but when I knocked on her door she didn't answer and she was already there when I arrived for training.

We train in groups of two, me with Mila, for about three hours.

When we're done, it's time for me to go to Baghra again. I don't really want to go, but I decided to do like Mila told me and give her a second chance.

When I enter the cave she is already sitting in her chair.

"I see you decided to come." Baghra says, once she sees me. I don't answer and just sit down opposite her.

"Well," She says after we just sit in silence, "show me what you can do."

I place my hands together and concentrate. I try to imagine fire forming in my hands.

Suddenly Baghra hits me with her cane. I completely lose my focus and look up at her annoyed.

"I asked you to show me you powers. Not how well you could stare at your hands." She scolds me. "Again."

I sigh, frustrated and retry. I place my hands together again and concentrate on all the candles in the room and try taking their energy.

"Are you just going to sit there staring at you hands all day." She interrupts my focus. "Because if that's the case, you can just leave."

I feel the tears pricking at the back of my eyes, but I don't let them fall.

And this is what the next hour is like.

Me trying to focus and her interrupting me or hitting me with her cane.

And I really tried to summon something. First I did fire and when that didn't work, I tried water and than air. I even tried to change to shape of some rocks. Nothing works!

Baghra sighs annoyed. "Are you even trying?"

"I'm doing everything I can. I can't do something if no one ever explains anything to me."

"I'm not going to explain to you how to do everything in your life. I'm not your mother. But I guess you'll always be looking for one of those."

Now I've reached my breaking point.

I stand up and run out of her cave. I hear her yell something after me, but I don't understand what. I run all the way to my room, tears pouring down my my face. When I arrive in the hallway where Alina and I's rooms are, I run straight into her.

"Saints, Anya are you okay?" Alina asks me concerned, while holding me close to her.

"It's Baghra." I manage to get out, between all of my crying.

"Baghra's really tough on us, but it'll be worth it someday. Just give it some time." She reassures me.

"No, you don't understand. She's awful to me. I have no idea how to harness my powers and she doesn't explain it to me. How do you want me to be able to do it if no one tells me how?" I sob.

"Give it some time, Anya." She says softly, stroking my hair. "I think you need some rest."

Alina walks me to my room.

"Time won't help, she's just awful." I try explaining, but she ignores me and helps me into bed.

"I'll come wake you up for dinner. Get some rest, Anya. It truly helps." She says, before turning around and leaving my room.

Once Alina's gone, I cry myself to sleep.

A/N: We passed 20 readers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter.