Her Balance | Nikolai x Reader x Darkling

~ Chapter 3 ~

Hello!!!

Let's get into it.

First Person - Y/n

The night passed in a blur, and soon I was already in Commander Zakharov's tent for our farewells. 

"You remember our deal right?" asked Zakharov shaking my head. "Run and survive if it goes bad."

"Yeah, I know Leo," I replied pulling him into a hug. "I know."

"Stay safe, Y/n, and come back."

I headed over towards the Generals' tent, where they were serving breakfast, while multiple soldiers wished me good luck and bowed on my way there. 

Once I had arrived in the tent for Breakfast, it was no different. All of the other Generals were wishing me luck and telling me that the Saints are watching over me. 

I ate as quickly as I could so that I could leave the humid tent, and it wasn't hard since I barely felt like eating anyways. I walked back towards my tent standing inside trying to take in the little details of the last bed I would probably ever sleep on. 

"Watch over me Saints," I whispered holding onto the golden charm around my neck that had the moon and sun overlapping each other like an eclipse.

It wasn't like the Darkling's symbol where Darkness overpowered the light, something seen on their carriages and large tents. It was when the two of them were in perfect harmony, perfect balance. Half-light, half-darkness. I had it since Keramzin, and after intense pestering of one of the kitchen staff was told that it was found on me when I was taken in. 

Jewelry wasn't allowed with the uniforms so I couldn't wear it for the entire time that I was at the estate, but since the day I left I never took it off. 

I walked back out of the tent taking deep breaths until I crashed into a soldier and tripped backward into the tent.

"So sorry General," said the soldier helping me back up. "I was sent to escort you to the Skiff."

"Right, sorry, should've seen where I was going," I replied getting a clearer look at the female soldier. "You're Sergeant Katrina Soronova right, one of the Regiment leaders?"

"Yes, General," said Katrina saluting me once I was standing straight. 

"At ease," I replied as I had done to so many salutes before, "have you contacted your family?"

Katrina seemed to be caught off guard by those and looked at me for a minute before she answered, "Yes, my parents and sister are aware, General...No one's asked me that yet."

"Well, I want to make sure that every First Army member getting on those sandskiffs have said their proper departures, it's not fair on their families."

"I can see why people see you as a saint, you are one of the kindest Generals."

I smiled at her weakly trying to push down my growing fear but failing. The two of us walked over towards the small fleet of sandskiffs that had been docked ready to head into the Fold. 

Once I arrived, there were a series of remarks about people feeling safer with me commanding the fleet and how they were sure this trip would succeed. I smiled at all of them hoping their beliefs weren't misplaced. 

There were three sandskiffs, the largest one in the middle, the one that was in front of the others and had to lead the others in, the one I would stand on.

Animals were too noisy and scared too easily for travel on the Unsea, so crossings were made on sandskiffs, shallow sleds rigged with enormous sails that let them skate almost soundlessly over the dead sands inside the Fold.