The Phoenix and the Crow

The Disciple

"Here she is! Sweetheart, we have visitors." Kaz wheeled out an old man while Y/N trailed behind them. "Art collectors from Kerch."
When Ohval had come to see the bodies of the uninvited guests Inej had attempted to attack from behind but failed. The older woman was much faster and seemed to sense her presence. Jesper and Toyla had rushed to help Inej in fighting the powerful durast while Kaz and Y/N snuck off to find the faint heartbeat in the back of the house. They eventually found an old man who was sitting in the back garden on a rocking chair. The grisha and thief introduced themselves as visiting art collectors which the old man believed and started talking to them about old, treasured art pieces. The pair helped him into his wheelchair and promised to bring him to his wife. Which is where they now stood on the steps behind the druast.
Ohval turned around and gave the man in the wheelchair a small smile, "I know, dear. I was just about to offer them tea."
Y/N saw everyone stagger to their feet, faces red and choked. She made eye contact with Zoya and Nina, silently asking if they were alright to which they both nodded. She scanned over the other four mentally examining for any serious injuries, from her view she couldn't see any.
Ohval turned to Toyla and spoke in Shu, "He's not part of this."
"There are the collectors I was telling you about." Kaz's voice was quiet and almost soft as he spoke. "They'll be pleasantly surprised to meet you, the great thief of the art world." He turned to the Shu woman and smirked, "The Disciple."
Jesper frowned, "This is The Disciple?"
"Have we met before?" The old man asked, turning to Kaz and Y/N. She smiled and nodded, "Yes, in your room just now." She placed a kind hand on his shoulder.
"And I met your wife," Kaz said. "In Bhez Ju. We had tea there."
"Bhez Ju Museum." The gray-haired man smiled, "The support beams are under every second section of the floor. The others creak. Important to know the secrets of a place."
Kaz smiled, "Truly."
Ohval spoke in her native tongue, "If anything happens to him, I will kill you all."
Y/N shook her head and replied in the same language, "All we want is the Neshyenyer."
"The Neshyenyer?" The Disciple questioned. "I stole it for her." His wife tried to silence him kindly but he ignored her. "It was the last piece I stole before we decided I should retire." This caught everyone's attention. "Anyway, you couldn't really call it stealing. It was hers, to begin with. She made it."
"I'm sorry. Did you say she made it?" Jesper's voice sounded.
The old man hummed and rose from his wheelchair, walking the best he could over to his wife. "Hours of work. Prayers. And tears." He brought his hand up to hold her face in fondness. "To fight the unkillable army created by the clock worker Kho."
Toyla chuckled breathlessly, "Three days and night she fought the unstoppable soldiers. And when the last soldier fell, she laid the weapon. And it was named Neshyenyer. Relentless." He slowly fell to one knee in a respectful bow. "We are honored to be in your presence, Sankta Neyar."
The rest of the Crows along with Zoya fell to one knee, bowing their heads in respect. The only one still standing was Kaz still waiting by the wheelchair.
Ohval turned back to her husband, "Come, my love. Let's get you to bed." She helped him back to his chair and turned to Kaz and Y/N. "This is our sanctuary. Where we can sleep peacefully. Not have to worry about thieves and bandits like you."
"We're not bandits." Kaz's voice was back to its usual rough sound.
"No one gets past the poison." Ohval spoke again. "You're just a child, really."
Kaz lifted his shoulders in a slight shrug, "A child who understood your weakness."
"Weakness." She scoffed, "Four hundred years I've been alive. I've seen them all die. My family. All my loved ones."
"Grisha always live far longer than any otkazat'sya and you know that. You're setting yourself up for heartbreak all over again." The Darkling's words echoed in Y/N's head causing her to close her eyes tightly as she tried to fight off the still-fresh memory.
"Taken away from me by time. Hundreds of years I closed my heart, as if that was the solution to ending all pain. What a safe way to live." Ohval looked out at the rest of the group. "What a small way, as well. You guard against pain. You guard against joy. But when you allow yourself to be blindsided by love..." She looked down at her husband with a soft smile, "Two worlds make a universe. He's not my weakness. He's my universe. And I will see him through his days. Sharing every moment..." Her eyes drifted towards Y/N. "Until he is part of the night sky." She glanced between the Grisha and the Kerch man before turning back to her love. "What do I care about a blade?" She kissed his forehead and turned back to Kaz. "What do you care about a blade?"
"The Darkling has created an unkillable army made of shadow." He felt Y/N stiffen beside him but didn't turn to look at her. "Your sword is the only one sharp enough to cut them down."
"That sounds like Ravka's problem." The Shu hummed.
"You think he would be stopped by a line on a map?" Y/N asked.
Ohval covered the old man's ears and whispered harshly, "I think I can still kill you where you stand before you can blink."
"Sankta Neyar, I have met the Sun Summoner who will take leadership in Ravka if the Darkling is gone." Toyla stepped forward, "She is benevolent, and she is also Shu. She could be the living bridge between our two countries, but that can only happen if you grant us use of the blade."
"Use of it?" Ohval asked. "All this just to borrow the blade?"
"All this just to protect your husband in his sleep?" Kaz countered. "We each fight for what matters most." Y/N stared at the side of his face for a moment before she looked down with a soft smile.
"And on my life, I will make sure that it is returned to its rightful home," Toyla vowed. "With you, Sankta Neyar."
"Ohval. The last thing I need are... pilgrims crowding my gate." She turned to her husband and placed her hand on his shoulder before telling the group of eight to leave. "Except for you, in the hat. I'll give the blade to you." She pointed at Jesper and then turned to Kaz, "Alone."
He glared at her but did as told anyway and limped down the steps, following everyone else out. Y/N went after and past him when he stopped to talk to Jesper. She walked out and sat on the floor beside Zoya while she sat on a large stone. The inferni resting her head on the suli's knee. Zoya ran her fingers through her hair, "You alright?"
Y/N didn't answer right away, only hummed and then sighed. "I almost died."
"Well, it wouldn't have been the first time."
"It's sad that I can't deny that."
"It's sad that you think that you can avoid my question." Zoya placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You don't have to talk about it. But you're not alone."
"I may be in the situation... But I'll be alright."
Jesper stormed through the doors and handed the Neshyenyer to Inej and followed Wylan from where he took off. Everyone stood up and followed at a distance before the pair stopped and the smaller of the two jumped at the other. Y/N chuckled and looked to Toyla who turned back and smirked back. Zoya, Inej, Nina, and Toyla all walked in front of Kaz and Y/N as they passed the couple who couldn't keep each other wrapped in a comforting, relieving embrace.
"Everyone's lost their mind." Kaz voice was stiff and filled with annoyance as he looked away from the happy couple.
Y/N cleared her throat, "We all did in there." They both looked at each other for a moment, the tension in her shoulders leaving as she stared into his eyes before looking away back to the road in front of them.
"Maybe I did see something through the haze of the poison." He paused in his steps inhaling deeply before turning to look at her again. "There are those who drown us and those who pull us out."
Y/N felt her stomach grow warm as she heard his words as if they were something not to be spoken of. A secret he now chose to share with her. "Maybe I saw something too."
"What did your toxin trip reveal to you?" He leaned closer on his cane, hardly noticeable but her sharp eyes caught it – the curiosity in his eyes. The same tiny spark of hope that she felt in her chest reflected in his eyes. But before she could give in and tell him what she saw in the hallucinations the Darkling's voice echoed in her mind again. And instead of sharing and being open, taking the same step he did, the words that tumbled out of her mouth were the words that had been repeated to her all throughout her years at the Little Palace.
"Hope is dangerous. Clouds your judgment."