"In the night I hear them talk, coldest story ever told."
"Ivan wasn't the Generals first heartrender, no one knows what happened to Mashka. It's like she disappeared into the shadows and took his heart with her."
shadow and bone season...
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Mashka didn't know when her toes went numb, the furs all around her body did nothing to warm the frost starting to line her heart. Something causes her heart to speed up, it's not as though she's never been to Fjerda, she's brought down many of them on the frontlines, so what was different about this?
"General Lavna, we're here." Rina had given them all a change of clothes, though Aleksander still wore some semblance of black, they had to fit in for the short amount of time they were here.
They were docking in a small whaling town, Aleksander had an insider giving them blueprints for maps the military, Druskelle, had drafted for their next attack. It's an in and out job, and Aleksander didn't trust anyone but himself to handle it. Along with Mashka and Rina.
It wasn't long ago she told him. Told him she heard more than one heartbeat wherever she went. It was so faint, but every time she touched Aleksander it boomed in her ears. They told no one, just a healer to confirm what Mashka was thinking. It was still too early, but it brought a newfound joy to the couple. It was why she had to force herself on this mission, swearing the only place they were safe was where they were together.
The cold flows everywhere, she can't escape it. It bites into her lungs like fire, she didn't do well in the cold, she tries to admire the snow, but all she can feel is nipping wind. Standing out front of a general store an old woman knits inside of the window. Mashka smiles at the sight of children's booties being handmade.
Feeling eyes on her she turns to see Aleksander walking into a tavern to meet their contact. Mashka and Rina were to blend in with the crowd to not draw any attention. Sending him a smile she ques her ears to listen to his heartbeat.
Mashka wrinkles her nose at the overwhelming smell of fish and some sort of brew that she doesn't ever wish to know the taste of. Aleksander eyes her carefully, sensing the discomfort in his fiancée. He knows she's been extremely sensitive to certain scents recently. To stick to their plan the both of them walk into their respective establishments.
The general store was quaint enough, the woman knitting greets her in Fjerdan. Mashka greets her back, stopping to admire her handiwork. "Will you be needing these soon my dear?"
The question startles Mashka, translating it in her head before she gets her wits together. All she does is smile. "Djel willing." she replies, hearing the roar of Aleksander's heartbeat.
Smiling back at the woman she moves throughout the store, stopping once she looks out the window. A man stares at her, a wolf emblazed on his fur hat. Sending him a modest bow of the head the man moves on. Not just a man, Druskelle. Mashka quickly walks out of the store, she doesn't see Rina in her position.
