𝖈𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖓| Nikolai Lantsov

Bonding |

The sky was clear and the sun seemed to smile down onto the crew of the Volkvolny. Soft waves lapped at the ships side and the breeze passed by like the whisper of a kiss.

The clang of swords rang across the deck of the ship. A circle of men had gathered above and were stood watching the fight unfold eagerly, like starved animals awaiting their next meal. Hoots and shouts rang out, mingling together but I only paid heed to the two men amidst the centre of it all.

Mal and Nikolai circled each other, arms tense and eyes focused. Their swords struck out like cobras, quick and with poise. It was quite beautiful actually. With the grace and allure of a dance, silver swords glittering beneath the sun.

I felt myself tense every time Mal took a swipe at Nikolai, even though I knew that they would never actually hurt one another. It wasn't as though I didn't appreciate a well matched fight. I did, it was just watching Nikolai duck and block that made my heart leap into my throat.

From where I sat, I could watch the fluidity in their movements as well as the faces of all the onlookers; my fellow crew mates. It wasn't often they got to watch a good fight.

"Who do you think will win?" Alina asked beside her. She was slumped against a barrel, eyes also trained on the fight.

I glanced down at her and pondered on her question. "Mal."

Seemingly startled by my response, Alina looked up at me. "Not Sturmhond?"

"I did just say Mal."

Alina glared at me and I couldn't help but snigger slightly.

"But why? Clearly, Sturmhond has the upper hand." Aina protested, now gesturing profusely with her hands to the scene in front of us.

I rolled my eyes at the girl beside me. "Sturmhond can get quite cooky sometimes, causing him to get distracted. Therefore, I believe that your tracker will win."

The bout went on for a few more minutes, with graceful twirls and well aimed jabs at one another.
And then, in a flurry of movement so fast that I found it hard to follow with my eyes, they had each others swords pressed up against each others throats.

By this time, both Nikolai and Mal were grinning like young boys, their chests heaving as they panted, breaths mingling.

The crew around them cheered and clapped and even I felt my hands move on their own accord. It was an entertaining fight. Not many could match Nikolai's swordsmanship.

"Well, looks like we were both wrong." Alina pointed out.

I rolled my eyes and gently shoved her shoulder before jumping down off of my crate to welcome the boys.

"All right!" My booming voice drew all eyes to me. "Back to work!"

Nikolai groaned audibly and huffed. "It's like you enjoy squashing all of the joy from our lives."

A short laugh left my lips before I clamped a hand over my mouth. "That's not funny." I scolded, concealing my smile.

"Yeah, yeah. And I'll pretend I didn't hear you laugh." Nikolai winked as he turned to our guests.

Mal went to touch a handle on one of the polls and Nikolai and I immediately snapped.

"Ohh, definitely don't touch that!" We said in unison.

"Now Miss Starkov, what say you and Ada chart the course to your destiny to find the sea whip." Nikolai suggested.

"That'll be me. I'm the tracker." Said Mal while placing his hands in his pocket.

Nikolai looked at me, and I gave him a reassuring nod. "My lucky compass." He began. "Seen me through thick and thin. Okay then tracker, which way is north?"

"Well I can tell you a few ways," he was trying to be smart. "Based on the position of the sun and my shadow, based on the direction we're sailing in, based on-"

"Get to the point Oretsev." I urged him.

"It's that way." He said, pointing behind Nikolai who opened his compass to check if Mal was right. Alina and I were both waiting patiently while Mal looked confident.

"Let me introduce you to our navigators." Nikolai patted Mal on the shoulder and swept him away, leaving Alina and I alone.

"Oi! Captain. Join us!" The voice of Tamar came from the side of the ship. I nod my head towards them and Alina and I make our way over to them.

Tolya snickers when he sees us and throws his last 3 cards onto the crate. "Shengli"

"What does that mean?" Alina looked puzzled.

"You don't know it?"

"It means 'victory' in shu." Said Tolya.

"Um, I don't speak Shu." Alina informed us. It didn't shock me as it wasn't common for Grisha to speak Shu.

"Understandable, we know what Ravkans think about mutts like us. And in Shu Han- they prefer to remind us we're Ravkan mother's blood." Tamar had a hint of sadness as she spoke, but she never let it get the best of her. It was one of the many things that I loved about her.

"Blood is blood. Only fools think otherwise." I added, handing Alina a few cards.

"Is that why you've chosen a life at sea? Because it understands that?"

"It's why we chose Sturmhond and Adelaide. They understand." Tolya said nudging me in the side.

"Is that a shark tooth? You're a grisha? What order?" Alina started bombarding Tamar with questions.

"Uh, Tolya and I don't really do that, but if we were in Ravka, we'd be heartrenders just like our Captain over here." She paused to point at me. "But I have this, so it's a win for me!"

"If only I'd been 30 seconds faster." Tolya groaned, placing a sunflower seed into his mouth.

"Story of your life T." I mocked him and watched as his face scrunched up at me. I've always loved the twins. It was like an instant connection when we met.

"We've been tolled your looking for an amplifier yourself. The sea whip. Is it true?" Tamar asked, stealing a handful of Tolya's sunflower seeds.

Alina just nodded in response.

"Possessing two amplifiers? It breaks all the rules." One of the men said.

"Says the Durast who'll be fusing the amplifier, if we find it."

"Um, when you fused with you amplifier, did it show you it's last moments?" Alina hesitantly asked.

Tamar nodded and raised her brow, "Tolya swimming up as I took it's life." This caused Tolya to roll his eyes and make a weird face at his sister, making all of us chuckle.

"What did the stag show you?" I asked curious.

"The last thing it saw was me, reaching for his muzzle." She paused, "like it always should have been. Because I'd always dreamt about it." We all looked at her, waiting to hear more. "But now I'm dreaming about the Sea whip and the firebird too."

"You think the three are connected?" I asked her.

"I think... I think they are to be connected. So I can then destroy the fold. But I can't be sure unless I try." She said. "Unless we try." She turned her head to look at me.

"It's uncharted territory." Scoffed the Durast.

"What are we if not experts in uncharted waters?" I joked.

We were really doing this. We were hunting a creature that was most likely just a myth. And it was all to save Ravka.