2 | flatline [darkling]

two

"NYX YOU MIGHT WANT TO COME see this." Adrian pops his head in, through the flaps of the tent, making her perk up in interest. Standing up from her seat at her desk, she follows Adrian out. As soon as she's out into the open air, she notices the group of people she'd never seen before. But one look at their uniform and she knows why they're here.

"I bet the Darkling doesn't even know they're here." Nyx hums as she crosses her arms, standing next to Adrian, both observing the group of men. Their First Army uniforms showed their low ranks.

"What do we with them?" Adrian asks and she tilts her head in thought.

"What do you think?" She asks, glancing up at him in curiosity.

"They're simple soldiers, so if we decide to kill them no one will care. They probably won't even consider retaliating." He points out and she shrugs in agreement, watching as his brows pinch together in thought. "Which is what they expect to happen. Instead, we listen to what they've got to say and send them back."

"Of course, we can't send them back without a clear message." She muses and he chuckles, smirking down at her as they think of the same thing. Their stand in General during the beginning of the war, Viktor, had shown an extremely violent side and it had worried Nikolai at first, but instead Nyx put that violence to use. "Send them in and ask Tamar to join us in."

"Got it." He nods, before she turns around and walks back into the tent. Walking to her coat hanger, she slips on the Black Kefta and tilts her neck side to side, in hopes of relieving the tension in her neck. Walking up to her desk, she hears the flaps of the tent open and she turns around, leaning against the back of her desk.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen." She says calmly, nodding for them to take a seat in front of her. Tamar takes position at the entrance - making sure no one can leave - and Adrian falls back into the chair of Nyx, behind her. "What brings you here?"

"The King wishes to make a deal." The less nervous looking soldier says after clearing his throat. She chuckles softly, glancing down at the chess board next to her and moving the white King.

"He does? What kind of deal does he have in mind?" She asks, picking up the black Knight and fiddling with it.

"He will give you the position of General of the Second Army, if you end this." The man explains, making her laugh as she sets the knight down and moves the white King to stand next to the Queen.

"Do you know how to play chess?" She asks, making them look at her in confusion. "If you don't, let me tell you something. The King is the weakest of them all, it requires the pawns to be sacrificed, the other pieces to protect and the Queen to destroy. The Queen is the most powerful. Adrian, tell these men who the King and Queen are in this situation."

"The King is obviously the Ruler of Ravka. The Queen is the General of the Second Army." Adrian muses as he leans forward and moves a piece on the black side.

"For obvious reasons, in chess. It isn't possible for the white queen to destroy the white king. But in real life it is. So imagine, if the King were to betray the General or attempt to destroy him. The General who is much more powerful than the King, would win. After all, the Black Heretic did it. What would stop the Darkling from doing the same?" She asks as she hits the white king with her fingers, making it fall.

"Is that your way of saying no?" The soldier asks, starting to get nervous like his peers. She chuckles dryly and finally looks back up at them.

"Tell your King, if he wishes to betray the Darkling, he has all the rights to do it. But he may as well plan his own funeral. I do not want the King's support or the position of the General. I want to destroy them. I am the Queen on the other side of the chess board and your King has just sacrificed three pawns." She hums and they look at her in panic.

"Three... three pawns?" The man asks and she smirks, glancing back down at the chess board, she crushes their lungs slowly. She doesn't look up as she hears them cough, as she can already imagine the blood falling on the floor. Letting go of her grip on their lungs, she looks up at Tamar.

"Bring them to Viktor. I want them alive. When he's done let them go back to their king so that theyvcan let him know, how merciful I can sometimes be." She says, looking at the three soldiers as she says the last part. Tamar opens the flaps of the tent and nods for the guards to come in. Nyx straightens up as the guards drag them out of the tent.

"Will that be all?" Tamar asks, making Nyx nod as she presses her lips together. Watching Tamar leave, she lets out a deep breath and moves around the desk. Adrian shifts a little aside on the chair, letting her sit down next to him.

"This is tiring." She grumbles as she lets her head drop on his shoulder.

"I know. But you've got this. And you know I'll always be there." Adrian assures her and she smiles appreciatively. "You joining us for dinner tonight?"

"Yes. Tomorrow Zoya and I are going to the frontlines." She hums and he glances down at her in slight worry. "I'll need you to keep things going here. Will that be alright?

"Okay. I think you've shown me enough for me to understand what to do." He assures her and she smiles softly.

"I know. It's just, you've grown up so much. It feels like yesterday you were still the little rascal with an attitude worse than Zoya." She hums and he chuckles, nudging her a little.

"We've all changed, over the course of the year. Zoya is becoming more stern and serious, David is starting to think a lot more battle wise. You've become scarier and more powerful." He says teasingly and she rolls her eyes.

"Very funny. I'll show you scary if you keep that up." She huffs, causing him to snort and shake his head.