{BOOK 1/3 of The Triumvariate Trilogy}
Adaline was living a normal life moving from military camp to camp as she tried to help anyone in need. Everyone needed her medical advice for she was the best doctor in the country.
But when the Grisha of Rav...
Freya was prompt in waking Adaline up from her little sleep the next morning. "Go away!" Adaline shouted as she pulled the sheets over her head and closed her ears with a pillow but the knocking never stopped. "What!" She exclaimed after opening the door.
Freya was not new to that reaction of being woken up it seemed. "I need to get you dressed." She walked inside and it was just her that time. She placed her tool kit on the dressing table and checked her hair in the mirror.
"Who am I meeting now? The overconfident Princess? She seems to have an attitude problem. You were right." They had talked about the royals. Well, Freya talked and Adaline listened, but there was something up with the Princess of Ravka.
"The Darkling," said Freya casually while working on a blush on her cheek.
Adaline's mouth fell open as her eyes opened wide. "He wants to meet me?"
"He told me that he has something to discuss with you," she said, leaning against the table. "So I better start working on you. Why don't you get dressed and come?" It seemed that she had learnt of Adaline's touch sensitivity and really wanted her to be comfortable.
Adaline walked out of the bathroom wearing a white-coloured dress that she owned. "No. No. Absolutely not!" Freya exclaimed.
"What's wrong with this?" She looked at herself in the mirror and did not find anything wrong with it.
"It's white!"
"So?" She had chosen that dress on purpose. It wasn't fair that everyone was divided by colours. Besides, she wasn't anything special. She shouldn't be getting special treatment.
"Adaline, only workers wear that colour."
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"I'm not Grisha. I don't have to follow the colour scheme that you seem to follow" she said with a smile on her face.
"Please do not wear white. Listen to me."
"Half my clothes are white." What was she supposed to do? She couldn't ask anyone for help. She wouldn't ask anyone for help.
"I should make you a kefta."
"No!" Adaline shouted immediately. "I will not wear it even if you make one. My...." She had trouble speaking out that particular word. "My powers do not fit the Grisha Orders. What colour would I even wear?"
"You'll have to talk to the Darkling then."
"He allowed it?" Clearly, Adaline was speaking a language that nobody seemed to understand because she was trying to make it clear that someone somewhere had made a mistake because she wasn't a Grisha.
"You might be," said Freya, almost as if she read her mind.
"I'm wearing this. And you should talk to the Darkling about your kefta."
"I'm not a soldier."
"I'm not either."
The two walked down together and reached the gallery where Grisha seemed to gather to have a lovely chat. Everyone turned their attention to them but pretended to mind their own business for their sakes. Freya approached Maxwell, who stood nearby and talked to him in a low voice. Both of them looked at Adaline and his eyes opened wide. He turned his gaze back to the tailor and nodded once before leaving the room towards the dark ebony doors at the end of the room.
Adaline could see the Darkling's symbol there and she felt alone all of a sudden. She definitely stood out because of her dress. "Did you tell him to warn the Starless Saint about my dress?" She asked Freya as she walked back to her.
Freya gasped sharply. "We can insult the crown, but don't call him names," she said. "Besides, he needs the warning."
"It's not that big a deal."
"Adaline, you cannot wear white. He won't allow it. And I know that you think otherwise but please do not wear white."
"Adaline?" They were interrupted by Irina. It was clear to Adaline that there were a few people that were going to keep an eye on her. "The Darkling wants to meet you."
Adaline started to follow the Etherealki but noticed that Freya was standing where she was. She beckoned for her to follow but Freya gestured for her to go. "I'll wait here." =
Irina was looking at Adaline through the corner of her eye. "Why is everyone making this a big deal?" But the Grisha did not reply.
The two doors opened and everyone's attention fell on it. Every pair of eyes was on Adaline and she was well aware of the difference then. "No one is allowed inside, are they?"
"Not really, no," answered Irina.
Maxwell walked out, his right hand always on the hilt of his sword. "I'll take her from here." He told the Grisha, who nodded and left without another word. "Morning, Adaline." He wished her with a genuine smile.
"Morning, Maxwell."
He was the only person whom she felt a connection with. He seemed to be really understanding and caring and she wished that she could be his friend. She did not forget their conversation and how she hadn't felt anything when he touched her. That made him different. That made him important.
"Shall we?" He beckoned inside the dark hallway and started making his way inside.
Adaline followed him till the end and when he led her inside a room, her breath stood still. The Darkling sat with his fingers touching each other, his elbows resting on the cool surface of the table. Even though Maxwell had warned him, his eyes opened up in the rage at someone defying him. "You will be taking lessons here." The Darkling was expecting a reaction but she was awaiting that. "Since you do not belong to any of the Orders, you will learn something from everyone."
"I'm not a soldier," she said softly.
"No, but you are a doctor." There was another moment of silence. "You will learn to control your powers. Maxwell." He turned his attention to him. "Talk to the tailor. Get her a kefta done soon."
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The guard was going to leave the room but was stopped by Adaline, who caught his arm. The Darkling was well aware of that. He wondered why she did not like anyone touching her. His fists curled up when he realised that he wasn't as capable as Maxwell. It was obvious that Adaline chose her company. Maybe they weren't that different after all.
"I can't wear a kefta. I can agree on the lessons but I will not wear something that a Grisha finds....holy." She didn't know how to explain it.
"Which is why you need to own one," he said calmly.
"But I'm not Grisha. And this is kidnapping!"
"Because you are here without your consent?" He asked, just to rile her up. "Fine." There was a faint hint of a twitch which could have been a smile. "You don't have to wear one. But I know that you will, and until then, Maxwell will keep an eye on you."
