Bound Together

XV

Inej had just come back from a reconnaissance mission. The four crows were in a lodgings house in Kibirsk near the fold. Inej was unwrapping her scarf as she said, The skiff is still here. Travelers downstairs are complaining. They were due to cross this morning." She placed her scarf over  a nearby chair. 

"Orders from the Black General. He plans to cross on it tomorrow." Kaz revealed 

"The general?" Jesper asked as if in jest, then get got serious, "Is that the same general who tried to... Oh, yeah, kill us all. That one?" 

"He has the Sun Summoner." Kasper said 

"Was this the plan all along? To have the general get her back so you and Kaz can take her again?" Inej questioned angrily 

"The plan is to get us across the Fold. We aren't prepared for another fight." Kasper replied his voice steely. 

"So you're not going to take another run at Alina? And you're really willing to let a million kruge go?" Inej asked in disbelief 

"Kasper, Jesper, and I can't do it without you." Kaz responded 

"Been saying that since day one." Jesper looked meaningfully at Kaz. 

"And you've made your position perfectly clear." Kasper added 

"So all you want is to cross the Fold?" Inej asked in confirmation to make sure she had heard Kaz right. 

"Once we land in Novokribirsk, it's your choice what you do next." Kaz told Inej 

"Okay." Inej agreed. 

Kaz stood up from his seat at the table, and Jesper said, "Hang on. Are we talking about boarding a skiff with people who will recognize us? People who don't like us much." 

"We'll have to blend in. Who else was on that skiff?" Kaz questioned 

"Some people from the winter fete. Dignitaries from Kerch and Novyi Zem on their way back home." Inej answered 

"Now they're audience to one more light show." Kaz said as he looked meaningfully at Inej, Jesper and Kasper. Then he turned to Jesper and asked, "Jesper, how did you enjoy playing a Zemeni guard?" 

That night the four crows caught four men coming out of a tavern. Inej had blown a dart into one man's neck and he let out a grunt before falling to the ground. 

"Are you all right?" One of his friends asked 

"What's going on?" The other asked as well. 

"What are..." One started to say but before he could finish, all three remaining gave grunts of pain as  Kaz, Kasper, and Jesper knocked them out cold. 

"Are you gonna help?" Jesper asked Kaz 

Kaz held up his cane 

"Oh. Well, isn't that convenient for you?" Jesper said sarcastically. 

Then, once they had taken the clothing, the four crows  made theri way back to the lodgings house and got dressed in their outfits. Jesper couldn't stop from admiring himself in the mirror. 

"You look fine." Inej insisted 

Jesper laughed, "Oh, I look more than fine." and fixed his collar. 

"I made some edits to their papers. Should be enough to get us through the checkpoint and onto the skiff." Kaz said as she handed out the papers. Jesper took one glance and recoiled. "Huh? No one is ever going to believe I'm that old." Then he put on his hat 

"You tell yourself that." Kasper piped up from where he was fixing his tie so that it sat straight. 

Jesper cleared his throat angrily and took the paper and marched off. Probably to sulk somewhere about the apparent lack of disregard that his fellow crows held for what he deemed as his "extremely handsome face". 

---

The next morning Alina awoke to the sound of shuffling in her tent. She saw a Corporalnik in her tent arranging stuff on the vanity. The corporalnik looked over and said, "You're awake." 

Alina recognized the Corporalnik as one of the ones that had accompanied the Black General. "What are you doing here?" Alina asked 

"I am here to make you presentable." The corporalnik replied

Wearily, Alina moved closer and sat down in the chair. The corporalnik got to work and started to work on Alina's hair. First giving it a glossy look, then twisting and pinning it into an elaborate hairdo. Once she was satisfied, an intricate hairpiece that Alina had only seen on a picture of one of the Queens of Ravka, was placed in her hair. A few more pins shaped like stars and encrusted with diamonds were slipped into her hair. Then, the corporalnik applied a light layer of make-up to Alina's skin and added some colour to her cheeks with a flower petal. 

"But you are a healer." Alina said in shock. 

"I can also tailor in a pinch." The corporalnik responded a small smile touching her face and her golden eyes seemed to sparkle at Alina. "Genya taught me a fair bit when I arrived at the little palace." 

Alina raised an eyebrow and the corporalnik laughed. "I was a curious little thing. I saw Genya tailor once and thought it was the coolest science ever. So I asked and she taught me." 

Once everything was finished, the corporalnik pointed at a garment bag. "You dress is in there. The General requests that you wear that one on the skiff. 

The corporalnik moved to leave but Alina's voice stopped her. "Who are you?" 

The corporalnik smiled "I am called Lanying. Stay safe Alina. May the both the saints and six soldiers  protect you." Then she swept out of the tent in a swish of red.