The Darkling's Shine

When the Glass Ceiling Breaks

       Following Kirigan into the clearing I watched has he removed his kefta. "Forgive me, General, but why are you the one training me in hand-to-hand combat and not someone else?" "Would you prefer if it were someone else?", he asked with a look of confusion and if I didn't know any better I would say dejection. Moving towards him quickly trying to dismiss his worry I said, "No, no. I just figured you would have more pressing matters to deal with. You know other than trying to placate me." "I'm not trying to placate you, besides what could be more important, than making sure that the Sun Summoner can defend herself. Plus I don't want a repeat of what happened on our way to the Little Palace to happen again." At the mention of the name, I wanted to tell him what Baghra said, but instead I focused on his last statement. "Well to be fair, I did land a few hits on that Fjerdan solider. Plus do you even know how to fight without using your summoning powers?" Now at this point Kirigan had also removed his undercoat leaving him, just in his black shirt, trousers, and boots. While I continued to look him up and down, I caught his dark brown eyes as mine had reached his face once again. Now locked in his powerful gaze he replied to my question. "Why don't you remove your kefta and come find out." At his words my breath caught a little almost locking me in place, that was until I felt his hand on my face has he spoke again. "Breath Tati," I released the breath I didn't realize I was holding has his long fingers stroked my cheek has he finished speaking, "Good. Now come on let me see what you've got." Nodding my head he took a step back so I could remove my belt and kefta, than placed my blue one beside his black one. Moving towards him I rolled the sleeves of my shirt up has I spoke, "So, am I meant to try and hit you? Or..." "How else do you expect us to train? Plus I thought after your sparring with Zoya you would enjoy getting to hit another Grisha. Not that it's likely that you'll actually land a punch on me." Rolling my eyes I stood in front of him, I replied, "First the situation with Zoya was different. And second I just ask because I don't want the King or the rest of the Second Army to be angry with me because I've hurt their General." He laughed then, and not one of the small chuckles he's done before. No, this was a full blown deep in your belly laughs. "What's so funny?", I asked trying to fight back my own laugh. Shaking his head he replied, "Nothing. You just seem very confident in your abilities. Especially since you were the one who asked for more hand-to-hand combat." "That's because I'm used to fighting against other non Grisha. But now I need to know how to fight against those who with a flick of their hands can send me flying across a training ground. Plus one can never have too much practice." With a smirk he nodded his head, then threw a right punch at me which I barely managed to block in time. I could feel my eyes get big then as I looked at him, only to see him with a smile playing at his lips. Rolling my shoulders I got into my ready stance raising my arms to show I was ready. His eyes scanned my body as he got into his own stance as well. Taking a chance I moved forward going on the offence. I threw a right, then left punch both of which he blocked with ease. Throwing my right fist again, he moved to the side grabbing ahold of my right wrist then he proceed to twist it until my right arm was pressed against the center of my back.  Now having me in that position he pulled my back to his front, I then felt his left hand wrap around my left arm. "Now where has all of that confidence gone, Tati? I thought you would put up more of a fight.", I felt him whisper in my ear. With him so close I could feel his tight muscles under his shirt, that would normally be hidden by his kefta. Trying to move forward again and shake him off he pulled me back against him as I felt his lips graze my ear has he spoke again. "Ah, ah. Come on you can do better than that my Star." His left hand moved then from my upper arm down to my wrist has he continued to speak. "Or was Zoya right, in saying that all you know how to do is lose." At that comment my blood began to boil has I responded, "No. I just wait for the right moment to attack." With that being said I used my left foot to step on his causing him to take a step back and loosen his grip on my left wrist. Then I pulled my left wrist up and drove it back into his hard stomach making him let go of my left wrist entirely. With my left hand freed I turned to face him using my left hand to grab his right wrist and sweep my legs under his causing him to fall to the ground with me kneeling beside him. The look of shock on his face made a smile appear on my face has I lean closer to him and ask. "Aw, Shadow, I didn't hurt you did I?" Locking eyes with me he shook his head and said, "No. Just surprised me is all." "What? Have you never had a girl put you on your back before?" Well actually Zoya.." Before he could finish that sentence I moved placing my right knee in his chest and raising a brow, almost daring him to finish that sentence. To which all he did was laugh has he spoke again, "Quite a jealous streak you have don't you Tati." I moved my eyes away from him to not confirm his words, only for him to grab my arms and flip us over so now he was on top of me with my arms pinned down. Looking down at me, I saw something flash in his eyes I had only seen one other time. Only this time he was really in front of me and not in my dreams. Kirigan's eyes then went from my eyes to my lips and back again, he moved closer than our lips barely a whisper away from one another's. But just has I thought he would connect our lips he pulled back and spoke. "Um, so your enemy has you pinned like this, what do you do to get yourself out of this position? You can throw me off, I weight too much for someone so small. So what do you do?" Has he was speaking Kirigan didn't notice that I was moving my legs closer to my upper body, then I waited for the right moment. After he finished speaking I replied, "This." and has I spoke I swung my legs up to wrap around his neck and shoulders. Now with him locked between my legs we rolled off to side, with neither of us on top of the other. Suddenly his hands went from holding my wrist to trying to get my legs from around his neck. His left hand dug into my right thigh then causing me to relax my grip and giving him the chance he needed to get my legs all the way off of him. Rolling over my shoulder we both faced each other, with both of us still crouched down on the ground. Taking a chance I lunged at him, only for him to catch me and flip me over again with him on top of me. But instead of resting in one place I used the momentum to turn us over again this time with me on top. Moving quickly I placed my knees  on his arms and made a ball of white light appear above him. Kirigan glanced from the light to me and a smile appeared on his lips has he spoke, "Very good, Tati." At the comment I closed my hands together making the light disappear. "Baghra has been doing a good job with you. I believe our guest for the Winter Fete will be quite impressed with our Sun Summoner." At the use of both Baghra's name and the Sun Summoner name, I decided to tell him but Baghra had said. "I'm not a Sun Summoner.", it came out as a whisper, but he caught it none the less. "What? What are you talking about you are the Sun Summoner." Shaking my head I repeated myself, "No, no I'm not. According to Baghra I'm a even other legend. She called me a Celestial Summoner." At this point we were both sitting on the ground has Kirigan spoke, "A Celestial Summoner? That's not possible, how..." "This is how.", I said has I the white ball of light appear once again in my hand, then sent it up into the sky. I didn't watch what it did next because it brought up bad memories that I wanted to forget. But I did watch Kirigan however, and I watched has the light above us illuminate his face and how the little stars from the ball of light seemed to shower over him. Watching him I began to fidget with my hands like I always do when I nervous. Only instead of it going unnoticed that it offend did with Mal and Alina, Kirigan noticed. Taking my left hand in his, opening my palm and tracing over the scar tissue there. "What happened here?", came his calm tenor voice. I didn't respond, so he spoke again, "It looks like you managed to open an old wound and then it heal again. Is this how you managed to not be found as a Grisha?" Nodding my head I said, "Something like that. But the reason for the original scar isn't has simple." While he continued to stroke the scar he asked me to tell him what happened, closing my eyes and taking a breath my memories took me back to that fateful day.