Blood and Water - The Darkling

Chapter 9: Tours and Tea

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𝕬𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗 we make it back to our room, Alina sits down by the window and I immediately start sketching at the desk. Genya is busy ringing for a servant, who she sends to find a seamstress and order up two dinner trays. But before she sends the girl away, she turns to us, "Maybe you guys would prefer to wait and dine with the Grisha later tonight?"

Alina and I shake our heads. It's been a long day. "But would you stay?" my sister asks her.

She hesitates.

"You don't have to, of course," I add quickly. "I'm sure you'll want to eat with everyone else."

"Not at all. Dinner for three then," she says imperiously, and the servant races off. Genya closes the door and walks to the dressing table, where she starts straightening the items on its surface.

With her back still to us, Genya elaborates, "Alina, Svetlana, you should understand that, when you start your training tomorrow, well, Corporalki don't eat with Summoners. Summoners don't dine with Fabrikators, and-"

Alina interrupts, "Look, if you don't want to stay for dinner, we promise not to cry into our soups."

"No!" she exclaims. "It's not that at all! I'm just trying to explain the way things work."

"Forget it," my twin and I mumble.

Genya blows out a frustrated breath, "You don't understand. It's a great honor to be asked to dine with you, but the other Grisha might not approve."

"Why?" Alina questions while I confidently state, "It's a good thing that I don't care about their approval."

Genya sighs and sits down on one of the carved chairs. She looks at my twin and replies, "Because I'm the Queen's pet. Because they don't consider what I do valuable. A lot of reasons."

I consider what the other reasons might be and if they have something to do with the King. I think of the liveried servants standing at every doorway in the Grand Palace, all of them dressed in white and gold. What must it be like for Genya, isolated from her own kind but not a true member of the court? I find it odd though, how close she seems to the Darkling. I don't remember seeing him socialize with many Grisha outside of Ivan and Genya.

"It's funny," my sister hums after a while. "I always thought that being beautiful would make life so much easier."

"Oh it does," Genya says, and laughs. Alina and I chuckle as well.

We are interrupted by a knock on the door, and the seamstress soon has us occupied with fittings and measurements. When she finishes and starts gathering up her muslin and pins, Genya whispers, "It isn't too late, you know. You could still-"

"Blue," Alina firmly interrupts, causing my stomach to clench.

The seamstress leaves, and we turn our attention to dinner. Genya maintains a steady stream of chatter during dinner, mostly about Grisha gossip. I don't know any of the people she is talking about, but I'm grateful not to have to make conversation, so I nod and smile when necessary. When the last servants leave, taking our dinner dishes with them, I can't suppress a yawn, and Genya rises.

"I'll come to get you for breakfast in the morning. It will take a while for you both to learn your way around. The Little Palace can be a bit of a maze." Then her perfect lips turn up in a mischievous smile, "You should try to rest. Tomorrow you meet Baghra."

"Baghra?" we both ask.

Genya grins wickedly, "Oh yes. She's an absolute treat."

Before we can ask what she means, she gives us a little wave and slips out the door. Great, can't wait for tomorrow.