chapter three.
The Fall of a Grisha
IVAN APPEARED A FEW MINUTES LATER AND began yanking me back across the main deck. "Slow down," I protested, but he just gave another jerk on my sleeve. I lost my footing and pitched forward. My knees banged painfully on the deck, and I barely had time to put up my shackled palms to break my fall.
I winced as a splinter dug into my flesh, "Move," Ivan ordered. I struggled to my knees. He nudged me with the toe of his boot, and my knee slipped out from beneath me, sending me back down to the deck with a loud thud. "I said move."
Then a large hand scooped me up and gently set me on my feet. When I turned, I was surprised to see the giant and dark-haired girl. "Are you alright?" she asked. "This is none of your concern," Ivan said angrily.
"She's Sturmhond's prisoner," replied the girl. "She should be treated accordingly." Sturmhond. The name was familiar. Was this his ship, then? And his crew? There's been talk of him aboard the Verrhader.
He was a Ravkan privateer and a smuggler, infamous for breaking the Fjerdan blockade and for the fortune he'd made capturing enemy ships. But he wasn't flying the double eagle flag.
"She's the Darkling's prisoner," said Ivan, "and a traitor."
"Maybe on land," the girl shot back. Ivan grabbled something in Shu that I didn't understand. The giant just laughed, "You speak Shu like a tourist," he said.
"And we don't take orders from you in any language," the girl added. Ivan smirked. "Don't you?" His hands twitched, and the girl grabbed at her chest, buckling to one knee.
Before I could blink, the giant had a wickedly curved blade in his hands and was lunging at Ivan. Lazily, Ivan flicked his other hand out, and the giant grimaced. Still, he kept coming.
"Leave them alone," I protested, tugging helplessly at my irons. I could summon up some water with my wrists bound, but I had no way to focus it. Ivan ignored me. His hands tightened into a fist. The giant stopped in his tracks, and the sword fell from his fingers.
Sweat broke out on his brow as Ivan squeezed the life from his heart. "Let's not get out of line, ye, zho," Ivan chided. "You're killing him!" I said, panicking now.
I rammed my shoulder into Ivan's side, trying to knock him down. At that moment, a loud double click sounded. Ivan froze, his smirk evaporating. Behind him stood a tall boy around my age, maybe a few years old older— ruddy hair, a broken nose. The too-clever fox.
He had a cocked pistol in his hand, the barrel pressed against Ivan's neck. "I'm a gracious host, bloodletter. But every house has rules." Host. So this must be Sturmhond. He looked too young to be a captain of anything.
Ivan dropped his hands. The giant sucked in air. The girl rose to her feet, still clutching her chest. They were both breathing hard, and their eyes burned with hate.
"That's a good fellow," Sturmhond said to Ivan. "Now, I'll take the prisoner back to her quarters, and you can run off and do.... whatever it is you do when everyone else is working." Ivan scowled, "I don't think—"
"Clearly. Why start now?" Ivan's face flushed in anger. "You don't—" Sturmhond leaned in close, the laughter gone from his voice, his easy demeanor replaced by something with a sword's edge. "I don't care who you are on land. On this ship, you're nothing but ballast. Unless I put you over the side, in which case you're shark bait. I like shark. Cooks up tough, but it makes for a little variety. Remember that the next time you have a mind to threaten anyone aboard this vessel." He stepped back, his jolly manner restored.
"Go on now, shark bait. Scurry back to your master." Sturmhond said, "I won't forget this, Sturmhond." Ivan spat. The captain rolled his eyes, "That's the idea." Ivan turned on his heels and stomped off.
Sturmhond holstered his weapon and smiled pleasantly. "Amazing how quickly a ship feels crowded, no?" He reached out and gave the giant and the girl each a pat on the shoulder. "You did well," he said quietly.
Their attention was still on Ivan. The girls fists were clenched. "I don't want trouble," the captain warned. "Understood?" They exchanged a glance, then nodded grudgingly.
"Good," said Sturmhond. "Get back to work. I'll take her belowdecks." They nodded again. Then, to my surprise, they each sketched a quick bow to me before they departed.
"Are they related?" I asked, watching them go. "Twins," he said. "Tolya and Tamar."
"And you're Sturmhond," I said. He laughed and replied, "On my good days," he wore leather breeches, a brace of pistols at his hips, and a bright teal frock coat with gaudy gold buttons and enormous cuffs. It belonged in a ballroom or on an opera stage, not on the deck of a ship.
"What's a pirate doing on a whaler?" I asked. "Privateer," he corrected. "I have several ships. The Darkling wanted a whaler, so I got him one."
"You mean you stole it," I said. "Acquired it." He corrected, "You were in my cabin." I said, "Many women dream of me," he said lightly as he steered me down the deck.
"I saw you when I woke up," I insisted. "I need—" he held up a hand. "Don't waste your breath, lovely."
"You don't even know what I was going to say." I said in exasperation, "You were about to plead your case, tell me you need my help, you can't pay me but your heart is true, the usual thing." I blinked. That was exactly what I'd been about to do.
"But—" I was cut off, "Waste of breath, waste of time, waste of a fine afternoon," he said. "I don't like to see my prisoners mistreated, but that's as far as my interest goes."
"You—" he shook his head, "And I'm notoriously immune to tales of woe. So unless your story involves a talking dog, I don't want to hear it. Does it?" He asked. "Does it what?"
"Involve a talking dog." I felt my patience slipping, "No," I snapped. "It involves the future of a kingdom and everyone in it."
"A pity," he said, and took me by the arm, leading me to the aft hatch. "I thought you worked for Ravka," I said angrily. "I work for the fattest purse."
"So you'd sell your country to the Darkling for a little gold?" I asked, aggravated. "No, for a lot of gold," he said. "I assure you, I don't come cheap." He gestured to the hatch. "After you."
With Sturmhond's help, I made it down to my cabin, where two Grisha guards were waiting to lock me inside. The captain bowed and left me without another word. I sat down on my bunk, resting my head in my hands.
Sturmhond could play fool all he wanted. I knew he'd been in my cabin, and there had to be a reason. Or maybe I was just grasping at any little bit of hope.
❂♕
When Genya brought me my dinner tray, she found me curled up on my bunk, facing the wall. "You should eat," she said. "I'm not hungry," I mumbled.
"Sulking gives you wrinkles," she said. "Well, lying gives you warts," I said sourly. She laughed, then entered and set down the tray. She crossed to the side scuttle and glanced at her reflection in the glass. "Maybe I should go blond," she said. "Corporalki red clashes horribly with my hair."
I cast a glance over my shoulder, "You know you could wear baked mud and outshine every girl on two continents."
"True," she said with a grin. I didn't return her smile. She sighed and studied the toes of her boots. "I missed you," she said.
I was surprised at how much those words hurt. I'd missed her, too. And I'd felt like a fool for it. "Were you ever Alina's and I's friend?"
She sat down at the edge of the bunk, "Would it make a difference?" she asked, "I like to know just how stupid I've been."
"I loved being your friend, Freya. But I'm not sorry for what I did," she said. "And what the Darkling did? Are you sorry for that?"
"I know you think he's a monster, but he's trying to do what's right for Ravka, for all of us." I shoved up to my elbows. I'd lived with the knowledge of the Darkling's lies so long it was easy to forget how few people knew what he really was.
"Genya, he created the fold," I said. "The Black Heretic—" I shook my head and bit out, "There is no Black Heretic," I said, revealing the truth that Baghra had laid out before me months ago at the Little Palace. "He blamed his ancestors for the Fold, but there's only ever been one Darkling, and all he cares about is power."
"That's impossible. The Darkling has spent his life trying to free Ravka from the Fold." Genya insisted. "How can you say that after what he did to Novokribirsk?" The Darkling had used the power of the Unsea to destroy an entire town, a show of strength meant to cow his enemies and mark the start of his rule. And Alina and I made it possible.
"I know there was.......an incident," Genya said. "An incident?" I let out a laugh, "He killed hundreds of people, maybe even thousands."
"And what about the people on the skiff?" she said quietly. I drew back a sharp breath and lay back. For a long moment, I studied the plank above me. I didn't want to ask, but I knew I was going to. The question had haunted me over long weeks and miles of ocean.
"Were there.... were there other survivors?" I asked, "Besides Ivan and the Darkling?" I nodded, waiting. "Two Inferni who helped them escape," she said. "A few soldiers from the First Army made it back, and a Squaller name Nathalia got out, but she died of her injuries a few days later." I closed my eyes. How many people had been aboard that sand skiff? Thirty? Forty? I felt sick.
I could hear the screams, the howls of the Volcra. I could smell the gunpowder and blood. Alina had sacrificed those people for Mal's life, before Rebecca and Aliya were ripped from the world.
I felt tears well up in my eyes, "You two did what you had to, Freya." Genya said as she laid her hand over mine. I let out a harsh bark of laughter and yanked my hand away. "Is that what the Darkling tells you, Genya? Does that make it easier?"
"Not really, no." She looked down at her lap, pleating and unpleating the folds of her Kefta. "He freed me, Freya," she said. "What am I supposed to do? Run back to the palace? Back to the King?" she gave a fierce shake of her head. "No. I made my choice, as I told you before."
"What about the other Grisha?" I asked, "They can't all have sided with the Darkling. How many of them stayed in Ravka?" Genya stiffened, "I don't think I'm supposed to talk about that with you."
"Genya—" I pleaded, "Eat, Freya. Try to get some rest. We'll be in the ice soon." The ice. Then we weren't headed back to Ravka. We must be traveling north.
Genya stood and brushed the dust off her Kefta. I reached out and took her hand, "Genya," I whispered, "please."
Genya stiffened and looked over her shoulder and then down to our hands. I tightened my grip. I didn't know exactly what I wanted, but all I do know is, is that I did not want to be alone right now.
"Please stay with me." I whispered, "Please for just a little while." Genya turned back to face me, her eyes glistening with tears, and shut tight, "Freya." she started, "I'm not allowed to be anywhere near you."
I didn't say anything, but I wasn't shocked. Of course, I wasn't allowed to be close to her, but then why was she here now? "Then why are you?"
Genya's eyes opened and a tear tricked down her cheek, "because—" she paused, "I wanted to make sure you were alright." her cheeks flushed.
She looked down at me, studying my features and her posture relaxed, "Alright," she whispered. I moved over to make room and she sat up against the wall. My head was in her lap, and all I could do was stare at her.
A few weeks ago I'd thought I'd never see her again, and I believed that more than anything else. But now, knowing that I was wrong— it made me feel better, strangely. I was back in her arms, with my head resting on her legs, her fingers running through my hair. Her touch was a soft caress, her fingers nimble to retract the movements each time. I don't know how long she was going to stay, but for all I knew was that I never wanted to see her leave.
Genya's eyes found mine and whispered, "What?" she asked, her fingers stopping momentarily. "You are so beautiful, Genya Safin." I whispered, "so... so..."
"So what?" she breathed, "Freya," I didn't think. My hand cupped her cheek, and all I could do was run my hand over her soft skin, my eyes traced every inch of her face, her plump pink lips, her perfect ocean-colored eyes that I found myself getting lost in, how her breath fanned my hand as my thumb traced her lips. Lips that I wanted on mine.
I got up and onto my elbows, eyes locked with hers, "breathtakingly beautiful, Genya Safin." I finally said, though my voice was rasped. "The most beautiful woman in the entire galaxy."
Genya's eyes filled with tears again and before I had known, her lips were crashing against mine. I gasped into her mouth as one of her hands came to the back of my head, pulling me closer. I kissed her back after a few seconds of trying to understand what was happening. My hand went to her forearm, and I traced my fingers over the embroidery of her Kefta.
Genya breathed into my mouth, only coming up for a second of air before kissing me again, our breathing mixed in with the others and I couldn't control the feeling of absolute want slice through me. Her tongue traced over my lower lip and I moaned into her mouth. The hand on my neck moved to my cheek, and she caressed the skin softly before pulling away.
Our faces were inches away, and all I could think, see, hear, and smell was her. We panted in each other's faces, hot and steamy, and then Genya was resting her head against mine.
"I've been wanting to do that since the moment I met you," she confessed, her voice cracking. I let out a soft laugh, "I have to." I rasped. Our heads disconnected and I smiled, "I—"
Genya shook her head, "No," she whispered, "I know what you want to say, but I don't think we are ready to say it to each other yet." She said. I frowned but didn't want to argue, "I can't stay much longer." Genya said.
"The guards will get suspicious." She finished. I nodded, though my heart sank, "when will I see you?" I asked as Genya's hand came back to rest on my cheek, "Soon."
She got to her feet, eyes never leaving mine before she said, "Eat, Freya. You need it." And then she was gone.
I watched as she left, my heart fluttering in my chest. We had just kissed. I didn't necessarily know what that meant for us now, but I didn't think much about it. I did what Genya wanted me to do, although I wasn't hungry.
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2,750
『Author's note』
Short chapter but hey WE GET A LITTLE SPICE X ROMACE MOMENT. I don't know how I did so if you would please let me know become I'm not 100% proud of it that would be amazing! ;)
Enjoy!
(This is what our Genya looks like in act two so far)