ARSONIST'S LULLABY ¹ | shadow & bone [ON HOLD]

NINE

(𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗧'𝗦
𝗟𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗬)

THE LITTLE PALACE WAS swarming with activity. With the Winter Feté in just a day, the servants were running around, fixing up every nook and cranny, preparing the palace for the plethora of guests. Twirling silk fell from the ceiling, servants setting up ancient rugs that had been taken out of storage just for the occasion. Materialki roamed the halls, out of their workshops making various deliveries.

The feté would be grander this year than any other before. The King wanted to show off the Sun Summoner his general had discovered. The savior that would rid the world of the Shadow Fold. Katerina thought on whether it was for show or because he probably hadn't been to a good party in a while.

Another group of Grisha had left for Kribirsk today, Lavinia with them. They would escort the foreign delegations that would arrive tommorow to the palace. The students had been given the weekend off and some of them had even volunteered to help with the preparations.

Katerina rapped on the dark oak of Aleksander's door twice and entered with a bow.

"Come in." He poked his head out if his bedchambers. His hands holding the kefta he would wear tommorow and gestured for her to follow him.

She crossed the round war table that had spreadsheets and maps and all sorts of wooden miniatures scattered around it. "The King is sparing no efforts this year,"

"He has something to prove."

"I suppose the emptying purses and the upcoming deadlines for the Kerch loans don't concern him much." Katerina seated herself on his bed and scoffed. "There is a war going on, and he busies himself with festivals."

Aleksander made a noise of discontent, a small tsk leaving his lips.

She looked up in surprise. "You don't agree?" Aleksander had always been disapproving of the King's splurging ways.

"I think it's a good idea, this time at the very least. He's showing what he has. His power over the Grisha and by extension the Sun Summoner." Aleksander said, pulling on his sleeves. "I don't agree with how he's doing it, but the effect remains the same."

"He's showing Ravka's might."

Aleksander tilted his head in what might've been satisfaction. "Precisely." He walked out to the room, straightening his kefta one more time. "I assume everything is up to order?"

"Yes." She followed him, "Marie has been briefed, the chamber has been set, and two Squallers will be on standby."

"Excellent." He took off the kefta, hanging it on the hook by the door and began arranging the files on the round table. His posture could claim he was fine at the moment, and perhaps those who didn't know him well enough could say he was in steady set of motions, his hands moving through the papers in a calm manner. But Katerina saw the way he shifted. His shoulders stiff as a board. His eyes held some sort of an uncertain worry and his hands weren't steady at all. They were frantic.