⏤ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘳
𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟𝐟, not looking to the jagged buildings nor the crooked roads, but rather ahead of her. Using her abilties, she tries to find where the others went⏤ to help them, but the passage opening of feeling became too much.
It is as if a vine is growing underground, trying to find her source, but Dara did not practice much especially with her on a high from running, and with the fact that other people are also on a high from the General of the Second Army being here.
In Ketterdam, it is simple. Everyone Dara ever met there, besides the Crows, had no heart. A gun show shot into flames does not matter because everyone knew how to calm themselves in those situations, causing Dara to better track her comrades.
But, here, in Ravka⏤ it is simply different. Of course bad things always happen, but Ketterdam is in which more ruthless. Of course, near the north of Ketterdam, there is the university and a small plaza presenting to those who have never been that Ketterdam may not be all bad as tales are told, but the moment the sun goes to sleep, the moon taking its peak.
It is once a ruthless game of survival, everyone trying to knock everyone off the board. But, no one plays fair⏤ no one plays by the rules or else nothing would get done.
Dara slumps against a wall, eyes drawn to her as she gasps loudly. She has never felt to many people at once, such in a panic. The feeling causes her to suffocate as she is trying to grasp any pint of air into her lungs.
It is like she is drowning in a reality which is not her own.
Of course, her abilities could measure beyond if practiced, if learned, but Dara did not want to learn⏤ she did not want to practice⏤ she did not want to leave her home of a certain Wraith, a Sharpshooter, and a Bastard.
Running her fingers through her white hair, she looks at both directions before getting back to her feet and running. The wind engulfs her, her hair flows with it, her legs ache as well as her chest, she needs water⏤ she wants to go home⏤ she should have never disobeyed her father⏤ is it raining⏤ I want a strawberry creme⏤
Her mind currently takes different roads of thoughts, going haywire as she keeps her eyes to different directions. Stopping in a small dark alley as catches her breath, holding onto her head, forcing her eyes closed as she tries to focus on herself.
"Dara."
Someone sings out.
Dara's eyes snap open, finding a woman walking out of a dark lit area: it was her mother. The woman then holds her hands out, a small Dara jumping into them as she smiles. At times, Dara needed to use her abilities, a sort of release. Of course, she does not need to, but since the Wonderer has the mindset of her abilities needing to be suppressed to live, her mind clearly plays the trick of her abilities being locked.
Whatever is locked, at times, need to be set free.
"Extraordinary."
Dara's illusion fades as she grabs her spear, the ends extending as she stances, ready to fight. The Darkling steps out of a shadow, Dara holding her breath⏤
He saw me.
Dara clenches onto the spear tighter.
"What can you do?"
Dara does not answer him.
"You were the one at the palace? The one with the blue butterflies..."
Dara takes a step back, "I need to go."
"No."
"No?"
The Darkling places his hands down, a sign of surrender, "who are you?"
"That is none of your concern, General. Let me pass."
The General chuckles, "you will be of great use in the army."
It is Dara's turn to chuckle, "what makes you aware of the fact that I would like to parade around in a colored suit risking my life for those who are ungrateful?"
"That is my struggle," he confesses, "we will always be seen as those who should be feared. But, with Grisha⏤ with my Sun Summoner...with you. We could show them⏤"
Dara shakes her head, "no. I may be Grisha, but my place is not with you. My place is in Ketterdam with the Dregs. That is where I found my sanctuary and that is where I'll remain until life may bring another plan for me, a plan in which I believe it is worth taking. This isn't one of those plans. Now," Dara takes a step forward, "you either let me pass or I will have to go through you."
The Darkling clenches his jaw, Dara clearly noticing the fact that he is no longer happy nor willing to negotiate.
As if I would negotiate with him.
The Darkling brings his hands in front of him, Dara shivering as she checks to her surroundings, finding a black shadow engulfing the buildings behind the General. Dara takes a step back, a black metal sword forming in front of the General, in the air, as he launches it to her.
Dara rolls forward, catching the General off guard as she steps onto his foot before trying to plunge the spear into his chest. He catches the spear right below the point, looking to her with respect⏤ wait...respect, "not everyone is so keen on killing me."
"I am not trying to have you take your last breath, but I will enforce the need if necessary."
"Just for you to go back to Ketterdam?"
"Now you get the point." Dara takes the spear back, the General forming his own sword as Dara takes her chance to try and attack him again, getting a nick off his neck before he clashes his sword with her spear.
Both clash off, one by one, it is clear he isn't trying to kill her. Because he needs me.
The General places his sword under Dara's spear, having him move his sword upward as the spear flies out of Dara's hand. He points the tip of the sword to Dara, to her neck, for if she were to move she would most definitely be nicked.
"I will ask one more time; come."
Dara shakes her head, whispering, "I have all I need with them...with him."
Dara places her hand onto the sword, slightly grimacing when the blade cuts her as the moves it to the side, but not before plunging another knife into the Generals stomach as he falls back, coughing, looking afraid.
He's afraid to die.
Dara has never seen so much fear swirl into another's eyes until General Kirigan. She takes a step back, grabbing her spear as she is about to run the opposite direction, but not before bumping into Kaz.
She stares into him, but his eyes look to the cut on her hand. He motions to his with his head, "you alright?"
Dara nods. "Fine."
Dara then traces her thumb over her cut, watching the blood, the scar, and all of the above fade. As it never was. Kaz nods before his eyes widen as he takes a step, grabbing Dara's arm and pulling her back.
Dara looks to find the General up, well, alive.
"Guess you still need to find your zen when in the field." The General chuckles, Dara realizing the knife she made was on an illusion, not a real one. While she was fixing her cut, she also tapped into the knife, making the strike seem believable.
Although, Dara could not blame herself. The intention of hurting him was to get away. She did not need the Dregs running from Second Army Grisha's when they all found out their General was murdered by a small petite girl with white hair.
"I almost forgot why I was here in the first place," the General starts, "I know you kidnapped my Sun Summoner. And now you're going to tell me where you stashed her."
"We didn't take her. She fled on her own," Dara never heard Kaz speak as if he is on the edge of fear's cliff, ready to jump into it's lake of suffocation. She glances to him, then placing her hand on his shoulder, she helps him believe he is not, both, in pain, and not afraid.
Although, Dara could feel the fear since she is trying to mask it.
The General stops walking, the anger on his face more evident about Alina Starkov than when Dara Leovolt refused his proposal multiple times.
"Where is she? I won't ask you again."
Dara scoffs, "you didn't need to ask again when he had just given you an answer," Dara grits. Kaz glances to her, pleading as she tries to bite her tongue.
"I don't know," Kaz breathes out, "It was pretty clear she wasn't interested in being a captive anymore. She's probably half way to Novyi Zem by now."
Did he just not lecture me on my tongue⏤ we really at the worst people with authority it is astounding.
Dara's thoughts of blunt humor are frozen in fear when she sees the once again shadow trying to consume them. She reaches into Kaz's bag, grabbing a metal-shaped like egg, passing it to his hand behind his back.
"You should have stayed in Ketterdam, Mr. Brekker."
As the General makes, once again, his black shadow like spear, Kaz nods to Dara which he nods to him. Grabbing the egg, he grabs his cane, slamming the egg onto the floor before the blade hit them.
A small explosion causes the blade to bounce back from the impact, Dara and Kaz quickly moving into the alleyway as they run...slightly run. Kaz can't run very well.
Continuing until Dara realizes Kaz is getting slower, "maybe we should stop," she starts to slow down.
"No⏤"
"Kaz."
Kaz stops, looking to her as she gives him a stern look. He nods, causing Dara to let out a deep breath. Going to a small alleyway, she finds a small barrel and picks it up, placing it near Kaz as she dust herself off. Locking eyes with Kaz when she is finished, but she does not expect him to be looking straight back.
The way he looks to her, sure, to others it may seem the same boring paralyzed expression, but Dara knows him better than that. She clears her throat, ignoring the blood rushing to her cheeks, "didn't know you brought another egg."
"I made one before we left." He takes his seat.
"Very smart of you." Dara sits on the floor, right across from Kaz. She takes a deep breath, leaning her head onto the wall as she wants nothing more than for sleep to consume her. She then reaches into her pants, taking out the file, "Kaz?"
"Yes?"
She glances to him, "can I ask you a favor?"
Kaz glances to the file, to then her, "your favor?"
Dara swallows. "Help me find out...where I am really from?"
"Is that why you said answers when I asked what one million kruge can provide for you?"
Dara nods, opening the file once more as she finds a picture of her father, "why would a Fjerdan leave his beliefs⏤ his home for a woman?"
An answer she did not expect from Kaz Brekker. "Love. Your father left because he loved your mother."
Dara snorts, "love? Didn't peg you as that type of man."
Kaz rolls his eyes, "will you go searching yourself?"
"If you don't help. But, I promised to be honest with you and so...I am trying now. Please, help me look for him."
Kaz nods.
Dara smiles softly, "love. I wonder why he could not flow that feeling for me?"
"Is he dead?"
Dara shrugs, "I don't know."
Kaz nods once again.
Both stay silent, Kaz getting up once more as it signals to Dara that it is time to move again. Dara halts, "Kaz, you know I can fix your knee."
Kaz looks to her, "don't."
"Why not?"
Dara has not asked Kaz a 'why' question regarding himself for three years.
Kaz takes a deep breath, "punishment."
"For?" She pushes it.
"My brother's death."
Dara watches Kaz's eyes licker with light for a short second. A short small second, but Dara will never forget the look. That look. She nods once more, placing the file back into into her pants.
Walking back, the town seems to have moved on from last nights events as Dara and Kaz make their way to the fountain. Dara feels the nerves of self-conscious when people stare to her hair, making her pat her locks down.
"Don't."
Dara looks to Kaz, "I said it before, your hair is...gorgeous. They are envious of you."
Dare knew what he spoke about envy was a lie, but it made a smile come her way. She nods, the word gorgeous hitting her heart right where it makes the feeling to love swarm her completely.
She sighs, getting to the fountain to find Jesper. Jesper smiles, engulfing Dara into a big bear hug, chuckling...but more of a relief in chuckling. He looks to her, grabbing her face as he kisses her forehead all big.
Dara smiles, "I missed you too, Jes."
Jesper then looks to Kaz, "hi, Boss."
Kaz glances to him before going back to the looking at the carriage Dara can only assume the General arrived in.
"Hello, Jesper."
Jesper eyes widen, looking to Dara as she gives him a scold with eyes, trying to have the Sharpshooter say anything to unload on Kaz's foul mood everyday.
But, their moments are short-lived when Inej jumps from the sky, scaring Dara as she was about to say something, before all her feelings and senses heighten at the fact that Inej is bleeding out.
Badly.
"Inej!"
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