Elementals || Grishaverse

Chapter 6: Travels

"Are you okay?" Maxwell asked as he guarded Adaline while she packed her bags. He wasn't going to let her out of his sight, especially not after the Darkling's direct order. But when he didn't get a reply, he continued to talk. "It's a nice tent."

Adaline scoffed. "I won't work for the crown and definitely not for him."

"No one is asking you to."

"Yet." She knew it and so did he. The Grisha had come to town in order to recruit soldiers, and that was exactly what they were doing. What would they want with her?

"What do you have against him anyway?"

"Do I really have to explain myself?"

The tales of the Darkling were famous, but they were always about the previous one. How could the new one be any different? He wasn't like other Grisha. He had everyone fearing him and he wasn't natural. But after what happened to her, Adaline wondered if she was.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "Thank you."

"What for?" He wondered.

"I don't know," she smiled. "But it does feel like you are the only one I can talk to."

"Of course you can. I've been told that I'm a good listener." He succeeded in his attempt at making her smile genuinely. He could sense her fear and confusion. But he had orders to follow and he knew that he should be kind to her no matter what. "I should be thanking you really." He pointed to his arm.

"You don't know if I did it." She was lying to make herself feel better. There was no chance that she was Grisha because otherwise, she would have found it out years ago when she was tested. "Why do....why does everyone listen to him with implicit obedience?"

"Because he is the leader of the Second Army. He works for the crown. The King trusts him."

Adalina dropped the tunic that she had picked up and turned to face the guard, placing one hand on her hip. "Are you telling this to me or yourself?" Confusion spread over Maxwell's face as he stood speechless and so, she continued to back her bag. "That's it," she announced after finishing. She had packed her medical kit and her dagger just in case she would need them. She hid her bow and arrow set in the bottom of the bag because there was no chance that she was going to leave it behind.

Maxwell eyed the bagpack. "Are you sure that-"

"I know that it is less." She smiled. "But that's all I really own." There was only one duffle bag on the edge of her bed. Was her bed. "I can't believe that I have to leave...." 

"I know one or two about that feeling," he said, making her turn her head to look at him. "Come on. Time to leave." He beckoned to the opening of the tent. He walked forward and was stopped by Adaline when he lifted the bag. "I have to," he reminded her and she nodded.

Her feet carried her to the entrance of the tent but she didn't want to leave. She turned around once and said a small goodbye to the only place where she could belong to before following Maxwell towards the place where the carriages stood waiting for the Grisha. She was staring at his brown coat and removed every thought from her brain. Don't show your emotions.

"So are you really the head of the Darkling's personal guard?" She asked him, trying to make small talk. He wasn't Grisha but he was human and humans were soldiers.

"I am," he said with a smile on his face. He was glad that she was making an attempt to not show her displeasure.

"And how does he treat you?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "How do you mean?"

She raised her eyebrows at him. "Really?"

He turned to look forward and her question was left unanswered. They had reached the coach and he handed her duffle bag to the coachmen, who told something to him in a low voice. Maxwell nodded once before explaining the trip to Adaline. "We will be leaving for the Little Palace now. It is a very long journey. There are going to be two guards with you at all times."

"What about you?"

But she knew the answer already. She couldn't help but ask the question because Maxwell was the one person she felt safe with then. Her home was behind her and the unknown in front. It would have been nice to have the company of one person in the longest week that she was going to go through.

He sighed. "Don't worry." He assured her and held her arms in instinct. "Oh, I'm-"

"Don't worry. You are on the shortest list ever created along with the other people that I'm comfortable with." She smiled.

"I'm glad." He wasn't used to meeting people who didn't like to be touched but he was happy that Adaline was trying. He could see the hurt in her eyes and as a human, he found it hard to comfort her without placing a hand on her shoulder. "Come on." He helped her inside the coach.

Adaline pulled a few sheets of paper that she kept in the pocket of her coat at all times. Who knew where you could find inspiration? She took a pencil out and started to sketch whatever came to her mind. She had to stop the tears from leaving her eyes because she couldn't let the pages get wet.

The coach started moving after a while and she only noticed it when one of the guards started talking to her. "You have a good hand." It was a female and Adaline was surprised for some reason.

"Thank you," she replied and sniffed quietly. Her voice couldn't crack. It just couldn't.

The Grisha woman was wearing a red kefta and had gorgeous red highlights among brown curls that she had tied loosely into a braid. She had contrasting green eyes and Adaline knew enough of Grisha theology to know that the guard was a Heartrender. "You shouldn't draw while moving. It hurts your wrist."

"I know," said Adaline softly. "But I need to keep my mind busy."

"I'm Carolyn." The Grisha introduced herself. "And this is Erik." She pointed to the Squaller in the coach. "You are safe with us."

Adaline smiled. She had heard that before.