The Phoenix and the Crow

Back to Ketterdam

Y/N stood in front of her floor length mirror and tugged at the waistband of her skirt. The purple fabric hung heavily on her shoulders and midsection where her hoopskirt hugged her waist. She hummed to herself and walked to her double doors, pushing them open and continued down the hall to Alina's room. She heard Genya and Zoya's voices around the cornner. The three grisha women smiled at each other and kept walking down the hallway.
The tailor and squaller pushed the heavy doors open and paused in their steps when they saw Nikolai standing in front of Alina.
"Oh. Genya, Zoya and Y/N are my escorts." The sun summoner said with a smile.
The soon to be king smiled with her and nodded to the three ladies as they made their way further into the room. "Well, I shall leave you to it." He nodded to the redhead and suli before stopping before the inferni. "Thank you again for staying. I know you probably would've preferred going back to Ketterdam with..."
Y/N shook her head and smiled softly at the young man, "Ravka is my home just as much as it is your's, moi tsar. Plus I can always visit my friends."
"Of course." He bowed his head in respect and walked out of the room, closing the doors behind him.
"Well, that one's a mess." Zoya spoke as her eyes trailed behind Nikolai. "But I could fix him." Her words pulled a chuckle from the sun summoner and inferni.
Genya walked up to Alina and held her face in her hands. "You really could have asked for my help instead of whatever team Nikolai sent. I miss pulling straw from your hair after scraping with this one."
"Uh-" Alina's hands moved to her hair in a sudden self awareness. "We're on the same side now."
"I mean as much as that might be boring, I'm actually rather pleased about it." Zoya smiled.
Y/N nodded her agreement as she sat next to the squaller on the sofa.
"And Ravka is next." Alina held Genya's hand, "I think the four of us can begin to fix what's been broken."
The tailor' jaw fell slack, "You're asking for our help?"
"Of course she is. We're fantastic." The suli smirked at Y/N.
The redhead rolled her eye and tried to hide her smile, "Where do we start?"
"I'd like you to oversee things here at the palace." Alina told Genya. "I'd like it to be a refuge for anyone, grisha or otkazat'sya, who needs a safe haven. Like the Spinning Wheel. And you," She turned her attention to Y/N. "I'd like for you to resume your post and continue to be in charge of grisha training. With Zoya's help, if you don't mind."
The two who shared the seat smiled at each other. "I don't mind at all."
"I think I can whip them into shape." Zoya stood and held out her hand for the inferni before walking over to Alina.
"As long as no actual whips are involved." Genya fretted as she too stood to her feet.
"I make no promises."
Alina chuckled before an idea flitted across her mind. "And I don't want grisha to be defined by their orders. No more colored keftas." Her hands moved as she spoke.
"That's a lovely idea." Y/N said.
"But I look amazing in blue." Zoya argued.
The other three shot her a look at which she took a deep breath and gave in.
"And as for me." Alina continued. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my friends. And I think Ravka could do with some, too. I have a very important blade I have to return to Shu Han and I'm hoping to make some alliance while I'm there." They each held each other's hands. "We've been estranged long enough."
"The four of us can do a lot of good together." Genya said.
Y/N nodded but her mind drifted to a special group of four who still resided in Ketterdam. It had only been a few weeks since they had departed but she missed them with her whole heart. How can someone feel so attached to people who they've only just met... She didn't know, but she knew that their connection was strong. Was it the life threatening and tramatizing events that took place during their time together? She had no doubt, but she wouldn't have changed it for anything.
~
"You three..." Kaz's voice rang through the room, drawing Jesper, Wylan and Nina's attention. "An  opportunity has presented itself." The three crows shared a look. "The most lucrative job we've ever taken."
Kaz leanded on the wooden rail in front of him. "There's a new weapon about to hit the market. If it does, it could make the destruction of the Shadow Fold seem like a spring picnic. Every corner of the world would feel the effects." Jesper's eyes widened slightly as the raven haired man continued his speech. "It's a drug called jurda parem. Highly addictive. And if grisha take it, their power is amplified a thousand times over."
He turned to face the window behind him, leaning again on his cane. "The chemist who created it fled to Kerch once he realized what he'd done, but the Fjerdans caught him. He now awaits trial. If the Fjerdans weaponize this drug, the consequences would be unimaginable. Everything we've ever known, every strength we've relied upon, shattered. Any questions?"
Silence rang through the room as he turned his head to look over the others. Wylan scratched behind his ear nervously as Nina looked like her mind was running a million miles per hour and Jesper just stood silently as if waiting for something.
"At least you won't be alone."
The three crows perked up at the echoing sound of the familiar voice.
"Yeah, thanks for leaving me to find my way in." Y/N closed the door behind her as her leather bag bounced against her back. She tried to muffle her cough as she walked into the room, "Didn't miss the air quality, that's for sure." Her smile was strained as she looked at the people she had missed so much. "I had wished we would meet again under better circumstances."
No one said anything. Kaz looked over Y/N, allowing himself to give into a moment to indulge himself at the sight of her before driving his attention back to the crows. "Let's get to work shall we?"