Sword & Succession - A Darklina AU Fanfic

Chapter 8

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ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕟 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕠𝕧

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I'd never felt more drained in my entire life.

After the trip through the Fold I woke up to a Healer fixing my broken ribs. It hadn't hurt, thankfully, but it'd itched like hell. Talk of me lighting the Fold, without the general's help was constantly being whispered between the other Grisha.

It was even worse after we'd arrived at Os Alta after about a week of sitting inside the general's carriage in awkward silence. When I had first woken up in the Healer's tent, I had been brimming with energy. Using my powers had somehow refreshed me.

But week's worth of nightmares and sleepless nights quickly devoured that energy, leaving barely anything left. I'd barely spoken since we'd made it past the Fold and was still yet to say more than a few words as the general and I entered the Little Palace and began climbing the stairs to my room.

"While you're here you'll be participating in combat training with the other Grisha. But your summoning training will be done with me and in your own time." He explained, stopping at the door to what I guessed was my new room. "I'm going to make sure to assign you an escort to follow you around."

"Why? Am I in trouble?" I asked.

"No. But your light show in the Fold was most likely seen for miles. Word about you will find its way out into the public. That is if it hasn't already." He saw my head drop and cleared his throat as if trying to alleviate the situation. "Do you think you'll be able to dine with the others for dinner tonight?"

My hand touched the door handle. I was desperate for the conversation to end so I could just lie in my bed for all eternity. "I don't know," I mumbled, fiddling with the sewn bottom of my ruined kefta.

"That's fine," he replied in a cool voice. "I just thought it'd be a good way to introduce yourself to the others." I watched him glide to the end of the hall before glancing back at me. There was a long awkward pause before, "I'll make sure to order a Fabrikator to make you a new kefta. Any requests?"

"Requests?"

"Did you want a new colour or...?" He shrugged.

"Ugh... Blue's fine for now. I'll think about it."

"Alright then." He disappeared from the hallway gracefully, like a moving shadow. I finally pushed open the door and froze a few steps into the room.

In Ketterdam it had been me, Mal and Mum squished into a single room for as long as I could remember.

The room that stood before me was six times as big. It was on one of the highest floors of the Little Palace, giving me a perfect view of the gardens from my small balcony. A huge canopy bed laid against a wall. There was a sparkling mirror lined with gold, an oak desk, an enormous closet, my own mini library and a few comfy couches by an empty fireplace. Expensive oil paintings lined the walls.

There was a door at the far end of the room that I swung open, almost sobbing at the sight of my very own bathroom. My own bathtub, my own basin, my own towel. My own toilet!

If only Mum could've seen this... But she already had. She'd spent time in the Little Palace before she ran. She'd made friends with the other Grisha. She'd eaten with them, told stories with them, studied with them, trained with them... and then she'd abandoned them to defend themselves while she lived a quiet life in Ketterdam of all places.