Good and Evil : Nikolai Lanstov x OC

2: The Fabrikator

As I walked down the palace corridors to the fabrikator workshops, I wondered what it would be like outside of these walls, outside of the safety of Os Alta. Maybe I would be stationed near the Permafrost and only have a small room of my own to share with a roommate. Or maybe I would be stationed near the Fold where I could help the sandskiffs dock or help the skiffs cross.

As I entered the Fabrikator workshops I looked for David. He wasn't there so I just went to his workstation. Now, nobody really pays attention to me in the workshops because I'm in there so often. Recently, David and I have been working on a glow in the dark ink. It had no real purpose, it's really just for fun. It could also have its uses if one wanted to make art or hide a message. We are close to perfecting the formula, we just need like 1 or 2 more days in the workshop.

"Katerina? What are you doing here, isn't it a bit early," David asked as he walked into the workshop.

"Oh, I actually got out of training earlier than I thought I would," I replied, "I hope that's okay?"

"Oh, um, yeah that's actually perfect," David said fidgeting with his pen, "because I just drew up a new design for a weapon."

"David making a weapon? Woah that's crazy," I said standing up, "has the Sun Summoner made you go mad?" I asked, poking his face like I was inspecting him.

He swatted my hand away smiling, "What no? I think the Sun Summoner is making you go crazy Kat."

We both sat down at his workstation. "So what's the new weapon?" I asked.

He pulled out his notebook, "Okay, so I had this idea for a throwing star that looks like a normal circular hair piece, but when you push down the middle it turns into a throwing star. So if you have your hair up or something you can put it in," he said showing me his drawings, "I can make it look prettier later."

The hair piece throwing star (or whatever David is going to call it) looked like a little circle hair piece that you would put in your hair if it was in a low ponytail or bun.

"This is a really good idea David," I told him, "it's good for parties if a lady needs to defend herself."

"Really? I honestly thought you wouldn't like it," David told me.

"Are you kidding," I said putting an arm around his shoulder, "this is brilliant David, simple, but very smart and useful. When do you wanna start?"

"Let's start tomorrow? After we finish our glow in the dark ink, we're so close to finishing that."

"Sounds like a plan." We gave each other a fist bump and started working.

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About 4 years ago- 1 year after Nikolai left

Happy Birthday to me. I turn 13 today, which isn't much for a Grisha but still. My father already gave me a gift, a book, The Lives of Saints. He told me that children used to be given this book at school.

He also gave me a blue Kefta with black embroidery. He gave it to me and said, "Just in case you ever feel the need to fit in, but just remember; being different isn't bad princess."

I looked through The Lives of Saints. It was kind of scary reading about how all of these different Saints died. Many of them died very painful deaths.

Today I feel like I need to keep distracting myself with different things instead of focusing on Nikolai. He should've been here, but he decided that he wanted to serve Ravka or apprentice under someone; which I think is good for him but I just want him to come home.

I was hoping that he would at least come back for a day to celebrate my birthday, but I suppose he's having fun with his new friends. I remember for Nikolai's 13th birthday, we went out by the lake and hung out there all day, but then we had to go to his birthday dinner. It was really funny because we put a type of tranquilizer in Vasily's food which made him pass out into his food. He was fine but it was very good entertainment.