Astra was waiting and freezing in a tent. A Grisha had offered her his kefta, but her stubborn self declined. She sat on a couch, her hands were tied up and spread behind her back. "We don't want you to blind someone else." The Grisha had said.
Not many Grisha knew she was -what they called a sun summoner-, she guessed. The ones who knew looked at her like their saving angel, the ones who didn't look at her like she was picked up trash from the streets.
She had been trying to get out of the chains, but they were made of Grisha metal. The couch, however, laid amazing. She was really tempted to just sleep there. But what if he enters and sees you sleeping, he'll think you're weak. That thought had a point, but maybe it could be the other way around. He'll think she's weak, and later when he least expects it she'll attack.
She gave in and leaned back against the couch. She closed her eyes and made herself comfortable. She woke up after what felt like a second, but outside it was light again. She saw the Darkling walking in the tent looking through maps. She wanted to rub her eyes so badly, but her hands were still chained. The Darkling looked behind him and saw Astra sitting on the couch staring at him.
"Ah, you're finally awake." He let the maps fall out of his hands, he walked towards the couch opposite of her and sat down. "I hope you had a good night, Miss Éowyn. You looked horrible when you came here." Astra frowned her eyebrows, "Thanks." She said sarcastically.
"Oh no, don't take it that way. I'm just very sorry for what you've been through." He gave a small friendly smile. Astra didn't react, she was in fact shaking but didn't want him to know. "So, Miss Éowyn, I came to the understanding that you have traveled a long way. On foot even. I'd given the order to prepare you some food."
The Darkling clapped and all sorts of Grisha entered with plates full of food. The first Grisha had brought a table and placed it in between Astra and the Darkling. Almost every Grisha was gone after they placed their plate on the table, except one. A girl in a purple kefta with gray embroidery.
She waited until the Darkling gave her a sign. He tilted his head her way, the Durast moved her hands together and the chains fell off Astra's hands. The girl also left the tent, leaving the Darkling alone again with now hand-free Astra.
"Why free me?" Astra asked while she rubbed her wrists, "I can still blind you. It's not because you said two sentences I won't try to escape." The Darkling smirked 'cause of that, "Why would you want to leave? You've finally found the place and people you belong with."
Astra didn't answer anymore, she was completely focused on the fresh bread and its particular smell. There was bread and jam, there were grapes and a whole basket full of fruit. On the other side of the table, there stood fresh brownies and little cakes. All the unique fragrances met with Astra's nose and it felt like the saints' rewards.
The food could be poisoned, but Astra took the chance. If she would be killed by it, she wouldn't have to talk to the Darkling. Astra took a bit of everything, it had been years since she ate a good meal.
While she was eating, she sometimes gave a glimpse at the Darkling. He just leaned back on his couch and watched how she ate. It was better than talking, Astra told herself at least.
When she had made herself comfortable, however, he began to talk again. "I know this will be a big change for you and I know we haven't started off on the good foot, but-" Astra interrupted him. "Haven't started off on the good foot? You sent a damn army after me."
His face was blank, nothing to read but he stayed calm. He was really patient. "That was because I wanted you safe as fast as possible." Astra scoffed, "And the time you unaware threatened me because you thought I would tell people that the 'sun summoner' is real?"
His expression hadn't changed the slightest, he just looked at her while she put another piece of bread in her mouth. "That was the same reason, to keep you safe from our enemy."
Astra swallowed the piece of bread, "Ow, so now I'm supposed to thank you?" He raised his eyebrows, letting her know she should consider it. He didn't answer though, he stood up and took something behind him. He turned again to Astra with a blue kefta without any embroidery on it in his arms. "We'll depart tomorrow, I still have some business."
Astra had put on the kefta as soon as he had handed it to her, it was warm and fitted perfectly. "We will not tie you back up now. You are not a prisoner, Miss Éowyn." He walked out of the tent, this is going too easy Astra thought. She looked through the little slits of the tent and saw she was surrounded by heartrenders. If she would run away, they'll stop her heart immediately.
No prisoner, right?
She walked around the tent and examined the maps that the Darkling had looked at a few minutes ago. The map was one of Ravka, a way was marked out from where they were now to Os Alta.
After looking at the other boring maps, she decided to take a book and hope the time will pass by fast.
***
It was finally time to depart, she was guided to a coach. Astra's hands were tied up against her back again. There was a boy, Clive IIyich, who was assigned to supervise Astra all the time. He was one of the few who knew what she really was, Astra noticed by his little grins.
They shared a coach together with two other Grisha. Immediately when Astra sat in the coach they introduced themselves. A girl, Amirah Adler, was the first to greet her. Amirah had beautiful dark tan skin and blue eyes that were really noticeable. Her black curly hair laid above her red kefta. She was a Corporalki, more specifically a heartrender.
The boy beside her, Dusk Enrir, was the Grisha who had accompanied her to the tent. He was the one who made the 'We don't want you to blind someone else.' joke. He also knew what she really was. He had the same beautiful skin color as Amirah and a sharp jaw. He had dark short curly hair and dark brown eyes. He was wearing a blue kefta, like Astra's, but with red embroidery. He was an inferni, belonging with the order Etherealki. Dusk had put a hand in front of Astra, waiting for her to shake it, knowing all too well her hands were tied up.
After the introductions, Amirah leaned back and slept against the window, Dusk chatted with Clive, and Astra was dying from boredom. Fortunately for her, an hour later they switched Grisha and horses. Astra was able to go and stretch her legs, Amirah and Dusk said their goodbyes and switched with other Grisha.
They sat back in the coach and this time only one person greeted her with joy. Clive was delighted he had to stay with Astra and sat now back in a coach with Artemis Ward.
Artemis was wearing a purple kefta that stood beautiful with her blond hair. Her kefta had red embroidery that matched with the red gloves she was wearing. Artemis was an Alkemi, someone from the Materialki order. She had light blue eyes and Clive couldn't stop staring at her.
The other girl was the exact opposite. Lilith Finley. She had bronze hair and dark brown eyes. She had a small face and dark circles under her eyes that for one reason even made her prettier. She was wearing expensive jewelry that didn't exactly match her blue kefta. She, just as Dusk, was an Inferni.
Lilith gave her a nasty look and waited till the coach departed. "So... what's your name?" She asked, with her chin up. Astra frowned her brows, "Astra Éowyn." Lilith nodded, "So Avra Wyn." She teased. Astra already hated her with a desiring passion to choke her with light. "What's so special about you, huh? We've been looking for you for a long time, and by the looks of it..." Lilith looked up and down while examining Astra, "you don't look so valuable."
Astra didn't answer first and so Lilith continued laughing, "My dear, have you ever even bathed!" Astra took a deep breath and gave her fakest smile to Lilith. "Yes, in fact, I have ever bathed. But have you ever washed that tongue of yours? Because my dear, I can smell the opinions nobody cares about from here."
Lilith had scoffed in frustration but did eventually leave her alone. Clive was putting all his effort into talking to Artemis, who rarely answered. This ride took ten times as long as the one before, or that was what Astra imagined.
Right before they answered Os Alta, they were stopped. Clive told Astra to wait in the coach and he exited together with Artemis and Lilith. Astra made use of the situation of them leaving and spread her legs on the small couch in front of her. If they would be under attack, she would most definitely be dead. They had left her alone, with both hands tied on her back.
Fortunately for her, they weren't under attack. She heard most of the Grisha riding away towards Os Alta, maybe they forgot her. The coach door opened and Astra's rest was disturbed again. She had her eyes closed and expected Clive to stand there. However, when she opened her eyes and saw the smirk of the Darkling, she almost fell off the couches. She had kept her balance and moved her feet off the other couch.
He entered the coach completely and sat opposite of her. "I'm glad you're making yourself comfortable." He said, but Astra couldn't meet his eyes. The urge for revenge was getting so big, but since she visited the graveyard things began to change. Killing isn't a way of acceptance. And she had accepted that getting revenge would be just to satisfy herself.
But first, she would take advantage of the situation. Astra would finally think something through.
They entered Os Alta, and not far would be the grand palace. They entered the gate and saw the huge building. It was big and detailed, too much detail Astra thought. "What do you think?" The Darkling asked, Astra, shrugged "I think it's the ugliest building I've ever seen." She answered honestly. He scoffed at this in agreement.
A bit further was the 'little' palace. Astra didn't think it was little at all. It was a size smaller than the grand palace, but to call it little was a big exaggeration. The Darkling exited the coach and held out his hand to help Astra, but still stubborn she didn't take it. He was, and couldn't hide the fact, stunned by that.
"Well," he said, "we'll see each other soon, Miss Éowyn. Clive will be waiting to show you your room." He turned his back on her, ready to leave but Astra needed a little more than a goodbye. "What will happen now anyway? Do I tell people what I am, you surely didn't hide it just for a journey." The Darkling turned back around.
He was impressed that she had noticed. "Yeah, I almost forgot. You'll be brought a blue kefta with pale blue embroidery, you'll say you're a tidemaker but can't use your powers because I said so. You'll train self-defense and your sun summoner training will happen privately."
Astra nodded slightly, "But I can't use my power right, why can't I choose what I want to be?" Again, the Darkling raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to be?" Without any hesitation, Astra answered, "A shadow summoner, black looks better on me anyway and I'll be left alone."
This was the first time she had ever seen it but the Darkling's eyes widened in surprise. He cleared his throat fast and tried to make his face blank again. "Alright, a black kefta will be with you in the morning." She nodded, "Good evening, General Kirigan."
He tilted his head in return, "Good evening, Astra." Now the Darkling was surprised with himself, he already used her first name. The poor man was so confused. Astra just smiled in return and walked towards the spot where Clive would be waiting.
This would be easy after all.