chapter seven.
The Rise of a Grisha
THE NEXT MORNING COULD'T HAVE COME ANY faster after that, but sadly it did and it was the same routine over and over for the rest of that week. Genya would come early in the mornings, then I'd go to breakfast, then Boktin, then Baghra with Alina.
I'd made no progress, each day got worse and more frustrating than the ones before, but I couldn't stop. I wasn't a tracker anymore, and if I couldn't manage to become a Grisha, where would that leave me?
I thought of the Darkling's words to me from the tent, you two will change the world. He really believed that, didn't he? Well, Alina could probably manage, I on the other hand, no, I wasn't like Alina. I couldn't help destroy the fold, so although I was half Sun Summoner, that didn't mean I had all the possible access to the light as Alina did.
Baghra tried getting me to summon tides at nearby lakes, with all Grisha watching from close by but I wasn't successful.
My daily failures with Baghra were matched only by the torture that Boktin put me and Alina through, he'd run me and Alina all over the place grounds, through the woods, up and down hills, until we both collapsed. He'd put us through sparing drills together and falling drills until our bodies were covered in bruises and my ears aching from the constant grumbling. Too slow, too weak, too skinny for a little Shu and Fjerdan girl.
"Boktin cannot build houses from such little twigs!" He had shouted in my face, squeezing my arm. I looked over to Alina who was glaring at the back of Boktin's head as he walked away, "is he always like this?" I asked breathlessly, wiping away sweat.
Alina let out a laugh as her gaze turned back to me, "you get used to it, trust me." she said.
"Come on, let's grab something to eat before Baghra starts her shenanigans," Alina said, grabbing my arm and leading me away from the pavilion.
❂♕
When we got into the domed hall, we took our places at the end of the Summoners' table and ate porridge, the maidens had brought us. Over the course of my first week, being as I was with Alina every day, had gotten to know her quite well. She was fairly easy to talk to, and when she had something on her mind, instead of bottling it up, talked about it. Most topics were about Mal and how she hadn't gotten any letters back from him.
I tried understanding her and Mal's friendship, and I did, to a certain degree. But I'd also never known what it was like to be so close and personal with someone, so when topics like this came up, I didn't know how to respond. I hadn't said much to Alina about that though, I didn't want her to feel guilty for me in any way, especially when she had her problems to face.
I told her about Rebecca and Aliya though, how they'd been the only friends I had as a tracker, how'd they always been there for me, even if we weren't the closest of friends, I was still glad to have them. Which made me wonder what they were doing right now in Ryevost.
Had they been thinking about me? Had they thought that I knew I'd been the sun and tidemaker? Would they forgive me if I would have known? I don't know. But a part of me thought myself stupid for questioning myself, of course, they would, they'd never leave you for who you were. But at the same time, I knew that both girls had never been overly fond of the Grisha, but would now make a difference? Would they see me the same way?
I shook the thought away when I saw Genya striding through the doors and into the domed hall, what was she doing here? I thought but then she was making her way over to our table. I looked away when her gaze shifted in my direction, and I part of me wanted to mentally slap myself, but why?
She took her seat down next to Alina, "aren't you two supposed to be with Baghra?" She asked, "yes, but we hadn't eaten this morning," Alina replied, "and besides I could care less if we are a few minutes late. I'm not scared of her."
I knew that was a lie, but I didn't say anything. "Aren't you supposed to be with the queen?" I then asked after a few seconds. Genya groaned, lifting her hand to her face, "Queen Tatiana has no regard for my sleep, she had me up at the crack of dawn this morning, to fix her sagging tits and polish her saint's forsaken goblin feet."
Genya sighed dramatically, "but then shooed me away, and said I had the day off, which I will admit is what I've been needing for the past few days."
Alina shook her head, "you know maybe when I can use my power better, I can blind her." Genya snorted, "I'd love that very much."
"Anyways, I came over here to see David, and you know what." She paused, snickering, "he completely ignored my existence, again."
I looked between Genya and Alina as they bickered about this David. I let out a cough, "who's David?" I asked, a slight frown tugging my lips.
Genya and Alina turned their attention to me, blinking once, and then twice before Genya let out a laugh, "ooh, yes, sorry I forgot to mention him didn't I," she said with a laugh, "Alina's already met him, but he's one of the Materalki, Durast, whatever you want to call them." Genya ranted, her cheeks darkened slightly as she looked from me and down to the table, "he's the creator of the blue light,"
I nodded, listening as she went on about this David person. Something in me sparked though, in my chest, making it beat faster than I thought a heart could. I said the name over and over in my head, David, David, David and each time it got more and more bitter. I didn't know what it was, but the feeling wasn't good.
I tried my best to cover it up by nodding, laughing, and smiling. But then Alina had read me like an open book and saw right through the cracks of a page, and smirked over her shoulder at me after she'd seemed to have figured it out. The gears turning in my head as Genya went on about David were durable but the longer she talked about him the more it made me want to just get up and leave.
But I didn't, I just nodded and smiled. I knew how to hide my emotions, and I had learned how to cover them up, but this one in particular just didn't want to crawl away and it was annoying me greatly.
Ten minutes later after Genya, had gone off to get herself a glass of tea, was when I and Alina had finally escaped the domed hall and began our walk to Baghra's hut.
"So," Alina said, walking beside me, "do you like Genya?" I stopped in my steps, my heart pounding out of my chest, and looked over to Alina, "what are you talking about?" I asked, pushing a piece of my hair behind my ear.
Alina only smirked and hooked our arms together and lead me out the doors of the little palace, "it's okay if you do, you know. I won't tell her."
I shook my head, "I don't know what you are talking about, Starkov." I said, keeping my eyes forward, "Ooh really?" Alina nudged my side, "Because I saw quite the performance back there, literally you could see the gears turning in your head, and every time she said David, your lip curled."
I sighed exasperatedly, "Okay." then yanked my arm from hers, "I don't know," I started, looking around, making sure no one was in sight, "I don't know what this feeling is."
"I've never had it before, because I didn't have it in the past. I didn't learn much about love, I didn't know love and I still don't know anything about romance or attractions," I said, the topic making me slightly uncomfortable. "Okay, yeah, Genya's beautiful, but I haven't known her that long either and she probably has a various amount of people out there that would equally feel that way about her. So I'm nothing special and besides, seems like she's already got googly eyes for someone."
Alina's smirk lightened into a genuine smile, "Freya Amaya Julikov," Alina shook her head, "clearly your not as smart as I thought you were." she said, winking and hooking our arms together.
"She may have googly eyes for another, but that doesn't mean she doesn't care about you," Alina whispered.
My heart skipped like it always does, and my cheeks burned. I didn't know what Alina had meant, and I wanted to ask, but I didn't.
❂♕
After training with Baghra I made my way to my bedroom, but before I could, I bumped into a man, dressed in priest robes, but a double eagle was emblazoned on his chest, and he was bald.
"I'm so sorry." I said, "Are you alright?" The man only smiled and shook his head, "I am quite alright,"
He gave me a once over and bent his head, "Ms. Julikov," he said, "what a surprise that we run into each other." He said.
I blinked, "And you are?" I inquired, "I am the king's apparat," he simply said.
I nodded, but furrowed my brows, "what are you doing in the little palace then?" His lips twitched, his green eyes, shining with mirth, "Just business."
I nodded again, "alright well, it was nice meeting you," I gave a slight bow and began to retreat away, but before I could get far I was stopped again, "the saints have blest you, Ms. Julikov." the apparat's voice said.
I had only made it a few feet away when I turned back to him, "b— blessed?" I stuttered, "What do you mean?"
"I mean," the apparat started, turning to face me completely, "that at some of the borders, like Ms. Starkov, have created an altar for you."
"What?" I asked, "Ooh, yes. The people are hungry for hope, and the icon painters are doing a booming business thanks to the two of you."
"But we aren't saints!" I said, "It is a blessing, Freya Julikov, a benediction." He walked down the hall to where I was standing, "you I am afraid are becoming dangerous, maybe even more dangerous than Alina Starkov," he said gently.
I shook my head, confused, "me?" I whispered, "to whom could I possibly be more dangerous?"
"There is something more powerful than any army. Something strong enough to topple kings, and even Darkling's. Do you know what that thing is?" He asked. I shook my head, inching away from him, "faith," he breathed, green eyes wild, "Faith."
He reached for me, and I froze. "Take this." He held out a book, Istorii Sankt'ya, the title read, "the lives of the saints?" I asked, and he hummed, "please do take my words into consideration, young Freya." He said, then bowed, leaving me standing, and utterly confused and terrified.
I walked back to my bedroom, the book held to my chest. But as soon as I passed the vanity I threw it onto the ground and shrieked back onto my bed.
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『Authors note』
Another chapter is up! I know that technically Alina doesn't meet David in the show until the winter fete but I wanted to have it this way. I'm following the show's lead I promise. I don't know how I feel about it yet but if you don't like what I did then please do let me know and I'll do something about it!
Also hehe: we got a little jealous. ❤️😮💨