WORLD BURNING, kaz brekker (EDITING)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐱

Open Wounds

❝ She journeyed to Ketterdam where pain was a bitter friend ❞

Graciela couldn't remember a time at the Grand Palace where she was ever hurt.

As a grisha she had never gotten sick and her parents had limited her to piano and language class, with no chance of harm her way. The most risk she'd ever faced had been when training.

It was when the Darklings secrets had unraveled and she was put in the middle of a war that she had first been badly injured. There was a large burn across her arm from her own fire, it had stopped her from ever truly being able to fight properly. Everyone thinking she was too out of control— too weak to fight.

Then after her disappearance she journeyed to Ketterdam where pain was a bitter friend, an unwelcome reminder of how her live had changed, of how her crown had fallen.

She may have grown used to pain but Saints, she swore there was nothing as bad as the pain of a gunshot. (Something she would soon learn is untrue.)

Graciela groaned sitting up seeing a bandage wrapped around her stomach soaked with blood.

"Saints," she hissed. Graciela still felt, and surely looked undeniably weak, it was no surprise when she felt herself not able to get up.

"Grisha steel," Graciela looked up and saw Nina at the doorway as she was about to speak again. "We need to get you home."

"For the hundredth time, no." Kaz had been arguing with Inej for approximately two hours now, the amount of time since they had gotten on the boat and since Inej had found out Graciela was a princess.

"For Saints sake Kaz, she's a princess!"

"Will someone explain, what's happening?" Jesper spoke up. Kaz and Inej had been to busy arguing (well Inej was, frankly Kaz just didn't care enough to clue them in) to inform the others of what went down. Jesper had been pacing around the boat non-stop, with bundles of nerves already anxiously awaiting their arrival at Fjerda so he can get of this damned boat, it had only been made worse with the information that was being kept from him.

"Graciela is a princess," Inej replied quickly, not paying much attention.

"Yes, I got that. Now mind explaining who the hell is Graciela?"

Matthias suddenly spoke up, hatred clear in his voice. "The Ravkan princess, the princess who ran away when her country needed her most. She was allies with the Darkling, a no good girl, everyone from that country is."

Kaz looked him straight in the eye, not surprised by his answer then turned to Jesper. "Also known as Tatiana."

Graciela should have returned to Ravka, she know she should have, after all the darkling is dead and her parents are exiled, what more could she ask?

For a home, because if she were to be honest with herself Ravka was never her home. She cared for it's people, her people, but they hadn't cared for her. Or at least the people who mattered most, her family hadn't. She only really had Nikolai who looked out for her despite the countless of maids she had, they may had helped her but they never cared for her, not like Nikolai did. But then he left, abandoned her leaving her loveless. Graciela knew it wasn't his fault he was sent away but a part of her held a grudge.

There was the Darkling but what much could she even say? She used to see him as someone to look up to but that was all ruined when learning just how his title suited him.

Of course Nikolai was back now but Graciela couldn't risk being trapped in those perfect pink dresses and a new fiancé to be sent off to. She couldn't live in a place that cared so little for her. She'd rather live in a place that didn't know of her at all than a place where that had to show her fake fondness.

With this thought Graciela didn't hesitate to answer. "You are not returning me to Ravka."

"But princess-"

"Graciela is just fine."

Ignoring her Nina spoke up again. "I won't allow you to do this. King Nikolai has been looking all over for you!"

"And he shall continue because he won't get a hold of where I am, now do you mind pouring me a glass of water? I'm parched." Nina, although vexed complied.

After Graciela took a couple sips of water she spoke up again. "Why is it you care so much about my safety?"

Nina looked baffled at the question. "You're my princess, what do you expect?"

"Exactly, only a princess. I hold no importance."

"Of course you do, everyone loves you! No one knew what happened when you left, it worried us." Nina couldn't help but be shocked of what the princess thought of herself.

Graciela looked guilty at the mention of her leave. "I was in a rough place.. I was a coward, I couldn't face him."

Graciela didn't need to clarify who 'him' was, once war was brought upon Ravka by the Darkling it was clear how he cared for her, most assumed the same for her. Many believe he loved her romantically but only those close to them knew the reality, that the Darkling was the closest she'd ever gotten to a loving parent.

Nina gave Graciela a look of reassurance, one she was sure she needed. "I understand. I don't blame you."

"But the others might."

"No," Nina said. "They won't."

"I couldn't imagine facing a loved one on the opposite side of a battlefield, it must be hard."

Graciela smiled softly, a taste of melancholy memories reaching her. "It was." She out of the of water to her mouth hoping to distract herself from the past,

As Nina was about to speak up she was cut off my a gruff voice at the door. They looked up and saw Kaz standing there.

"We need to talk."

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬

It's my birthday!! I decided because of that it would be a perfect time to update this. Sorry that it's short and a filler chapter though, I feel like I need to focus more on what happened after Graciela left so I tried focusing a bit on that. I would love if you guys could vote, comment (if you're comfortable with it) and maybe even share this story if you know any grishaverse fans. Thank you for reading 💕